


Up the Hill Backwards

by ladyofshalott19



Category: Laby
Genre: Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Drama, F/M, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-04-02 07:16:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 239,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4051117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofshalott19/pseuds/ladyofshalott19
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the end of the great war, everyone must learn how to live in a world that they're not used to. Sarah and Jareth, together, help create new traditions. However, change is never easy, and growing pains are always difficult. </p><p>Sequel to Ribbon in the Sky.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Story Disclaimer: If you have not read Ribbon in the Sky, do not read this until you do. Nothing will make sense. Maybe a little. But you should read the first story anyway.

_I put one foot in front of the other one_

* * *

"Turn back, Sarah," Jareth whispered into Sarah's ear. "Turn back before it's too late." She spun around to face him, giving him a lopsided grin.

"Don't get all emotional on me, Goblin King," Sarah said.

"No need to worry about me, Precious," Jareth laughed. "You're the one who wanted a rematch."

"I already told you: it's only a rematch if there's a draw," she stated. "I won. I'm here to defend my title." Sarah and Jareth stood on the hill, overlooking the Labyrinth. Jareth circled her.

"Afraid that you'll lose?" he challenged. "If you quit now, we can spend the rest of the morning soaking in the bath. I'll mention that you quit only every other minute."

Sarah rounded her shoulders and cracked her knuckles. "Let's do this."

"If you use your magic for an advantage, I'll know," Jareth warned.

"And do what?" she countered. Jareth stopped his walking yet said nothing but grinned.

"You'll have thirteen hours to complete my Labyrinth," he said. "Or—"

"Or what?" Sarah interrupted.

"Let's just say I'll be very thrilled _when_ you lose," Jareth said.

"Very confident of yourself, I see," she said. "Such a short memory you have. You lost last time, remember?"

"You didn't encounter everything and everyone the last time you went through," he explained. Jareth reached out his gloved hand, opening the large doors to the Labyrinth.

"Being that I am a generous king," Jareth said as he moved behind her. "I'll give you fifteen seconds to make it to the doors before they shut and lock you out."

Sarah whirled around to face him, wide eyed. "What!"

"Time starts now," he chuckled as he disappeared from view. Sarah turned to the maze and sprinted for the door.

Once she made it down the hill, she saw the doors began to close.

"No! No! No!" Sarah yelled as she willed her body to move faster.

As the doors closed, she turned herself sideways, squeezing her way through before she was shut out for good. Too bad she couldn't keep her footing as well, falling to the ground in her successful attempt to make it through the entrance.

"That wild haired bastard," she panted.

"I heard that," his voice rang out. Sarah responded by throwing a middle finger in the air.

"I saw that as well," he said.

"Idiot," she murmured as she finally made it to her feet. Sarah surveyed her surroundings, realizing that not much had changed. The Labyrinth was still dark and covered with those odd eye ball shoots coming from the wall. Sarah followed the walls up to stare at the sky. She raised her arm and a flash of fire came out of hand, but the blaze died as it hit an invisible barrier.

"No cheating, Sarah," Jareth's voice teased.

"I was just checking," she snapped, as she looked around again.

"Left. Right," Sarah said, thinking out loud. "Went right last time. This time, left."

* * *

Avitus walked into the rowdy throne room, seeing Jareth on the throne looking into a crystal ball.

"I see that you have a smile on your face," he called out over the noise as he approached the dais. "I assume the individual that is running is not a normal runner."

"Sarah decided to go left," Jareth said, still gazing into the orb. He finally looked at Avitus with a large smile on his face.

Avitus stopped in front of the throne, and his face blanched. "Oh no," he said. "Whether she makes it in time or not, I believe she will ensure that you will be the loser."

Jareth laughed as he tossed the crystal in the air, causing it to disappear.

"Either way, I win," he admitted. "What do you have there?" Avitus glanced at his hands, realizing he forgot that he was holding stacks of paper.

"Governor Derry and I couldn't decide if these warranted your attention," he said as he handed the documents to Jareth. "However, I decided that we should err on the side of caution."

Although Jareth was expecting length missives, he was met with strangled writing in bold lettering. The words "Half-Breed Imposter," "Unseelie Filth," and "Bastard King" covered the flyers.

"All of you!" Jareth yelled to the room of unruly goblins. "Get out!" Immediately the goblin ran out of the throne room, leaving him alone with his advisor. "What is this?"he snarled.

"Governor Derry said that your subjects approached him with these," Avitus explained. "They found it tacked to some trees as they made their way into the Seelie hills. Those who found these _missives_ said they didn't see anyone posting them, but they took down all that they saw."

Jareth stood and ripped the documents into shreds.

"What do we plan to do about this?" Avitus asked as he watched Jareth pacing around the room. "This is most definitely the work of those crazed extremists. Apparently they are moving closer to the border."

"We don't know that," he mused. "They have a lot of free time on their hands. Who knows where they are." Jareth stopped walking and leaned against the wall. He rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. "If we ignore them, they'll go away. They clearly want attention."

"Princess Sarah should be told."

"You will tell her nothing," Jareth warned. "Her schedule will be crushingly busy after today. She shouldn't have to worry about a bunch of useless outcasts writing insulting words about me."

Avitus bowed his head and said, "Yes, Sire."

* * *

Sarah quickly found one of the secret passage ways that led her through a dark and musty maze that opened into a woodland area, oddly dotted with tall grass and flowers with a large pond in the middle. Across the wooded area, she could see a wall of the Labyrinth in the distance.

"Well, this makes sense," Sarah said as she started walking. "Let's not only place a woodland area in a freakin' maze. Let's add a lake, tall grass, and a small river for good measure. Makes perfect sense."

Sarah carefully waded through the river. The water came up to her chest and flowed easily yet didn't move too fast, just enough to cause her to keep her arms out to help paddle. When she neared the opposite side of the bank, Sarah turned around and gauged that she was roughly half way through the woods. Movement out of the corner of her eye brought her attention to the shadowy figure making her way toward her. She didn't know what was in these waters, but she was not about to find out.

Sarah dashed to the bank of the river, splashing water around her. She crawled up to the bank and up the grassy knoll before she collapsed. Sarah turned back to the water to ensure that the creature didn't follow her. Its body could be seen through the water, making Sarah guess that it was roughly seven feet long, from head to tail. Peeking out of the water, a large head surfaced, staring straight at her. The creature at first glance appeared to be a fish-like dog. But when she took a closer look at it, she noticed that it seemed to be more otter in appearance. It had short white hair, which contrasted greatly with the black ear-tips and the dark swathe across its back.

Sarah backed away and stood to her feet, nearly tripping over a very small sign. It read: "Beware of the Dobhar-chú: The Water Hound".

"Now something warns me," she whispered to herself. The Dobhar-chú continued to tread in the water moving back in forth, making it clear to Sarah that it could not leave the water. When the creature opened its mouth to let out a large shriek, its rows of sharp teeth were on full display. Sarah yelled as she took off running toward wall, doing her best to avoid hitting a tree. She ran half the length to the wall before she stopped, trying to catch her breath.

"I smell of river water, and now I'm sweating. Perfect," she complained. "And I have no idea how far along I am." The trees unfortunately blocked her view of the castle. "Or the time."

The stillness of the air was disrupted when the sound of several packs of barking dogs broke through the silence.

"Jareth has dogs?" Sarah asked as she tried to find the source of the sound. "He never told he has pets."

"Less questioning, Sarah," said Jareth's voice. "More running." Deciding to heed his voice, Sarah began running again.

"Very… tired… of…running," she gasped. Sarah took a wrong step and went tumbling over a fallen tree branch. Sarah cried out as her body hit the ground. When she made her way to her feet, she turned back around because of the loud break of branches and rumbling under her feet.

Through the forest brush emerged a massive creature. The strange being had the head and neck of a snake, the body of a leopard, the thighs of a lion, and the feet of a deer. Sarah promptly realized that the sound of dogs was emitting from its stomach. The creature locked eyes with Sarah as she slowly began to back away. The beast crouched down and began to crawl towards her.

"Nope," Sarah said as she spun around and ran away. As the creature chased after her, she kept almost losing her balance since the ground beneath her kept since the ground beneath her kept quaking. The creature lowered its head and started snapping at her. Sarah began to zig-zag through the forest, hoping to slow him down. She looked over her shoulder and noticed that her plan was working.

Sarah finally approached the wall but noticed that she couldn't see a door. When she came upon the wall, she struck the wall in frustration and turned to see the monster approaching. She ran down the length of the wall, randomly hitting the stones, hoping for a secret opening.

"Damn it!" she yelled, hitting the bricks once more. Suddenly, the wall fell down, bringing Sarah with it. She scrambled to her feet as the head of the creature came through the opening. But a swift magical gust pushed the beast away and the stones back in place. Sarah looked up to see Jareth smirking down at her. He held out his hand to help her up, but she swatted it aside.

"Did you miss me, Sarah?" Jareth asked. "You are quite welcome, by the way."

Sarah rose to her feet and brushed the dust off her jeans.

"All I hear is 'Blah blah blah. I'm an asshole'," Sarah said, catching her breath.

Jareth approached her and lightly brushed her hair back. "You wound me, Precious," he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her. But Sarah slapped him in the face and shoved him away from her. Jareth brought his hand up to his mouth, ensuring that he wasn't bleeding.

"I almost died, you jerk!" she yelled. "You don't get a kiss!" Jareth moved quickly and backed her to the wall. "Go away!" Sarah said as she attempted to slap him away, but he quickly restrained her arms. "You're on the top of my shit list."

"You were never in any danger," Jareth snarled in her ear. "I was watching you the entire time. Do you really think I would allow anything to harm you?"

Sarah looked to the side and made a little huff. "No," she whispered. "No, you wouldn't." Jareth tried to kiss her again, this time successfully and no hitting. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, causing her to moan. As much as Sarah loved this feeling, she knew what was happening here. She pushed him away again but lightly this time.

"I know what you're doing," Sarah said. "And it's not going to work." As she walked away, her arm was caught by Jareth as he enveloped her in a sensual embrace.

"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. Enough of this. It's past lunch time. You nearly got yourself eaten," he teased. "Come back with me, and we can have a meal in bed. More importantly, I can…"

Sarah wrestled her way out of his arms. "I didn't run from a crazy monster to simply quit now," she said. "What was that thing anyway?"

"A Questing Beast," Jareth answered. "It likes water, which you clearly found yourself in. You wading through the water caught its attention."

"Yeah, I had to get through," she countered.

"If you traveled around the other way," he informed. "You would have bypassed the water and the water hound." Jareth gave her a wink. "There's no river there."

"I'm leaving now," Sarah said dryly as she walked away from him.

"I'll be waiting for you," he called out, before disappearing.

Sarah wondered through the pale stone section of the Labyrinth for what seemed like hours as the sun blared down on her. Yet, she hadn't come across anyone or anything. Luckily, she occasionally saw the castle when she traveled up a small hill, allowing her to gauge whether she was getting closer or going backward.

"Is this the pure endurance portion of the maze?" she asked aloud. "I feel like I should have packed some snacks. Granola. Maybe some water." As she turned the corner, Sarah came across a large chalice of water. She gave the goblet a suspicious stare and then walked over to it and kicked the cup over.

"I'm not drinking anything from you," Sarah shouted to the sky. Suddenly, a peach appeared in her hand, but she threw the fruit to the ground. "Or eating!"

* * *

Jareth sat in the window of his throne room, laughing at Sarah's antics in the crystal. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Avitus walking in again.

"I must say," Avitus said. "This New York area is quite beautiful."

"Did anyone see you?" Jareth asked.

"Maybe a housewife or two," he answered. "Seemed as though everyone in the area was gone. The Williams were not at home."

"Sarah mentioned that they take many trips during the summer," Jareth said, still looking into the crystal. "They're probably off somewhere."

Jareth and Sarah haven't found time to return to their Aboveground home, but Jareth knew better than to let the house grow wild. With a little guidance from Sarah, Avitus had been able to hire the necessary people to make the house look like it was being taken care of. According to Sarah, if the house magically never needs the grass cutting or the flowers watered, people would start talking.

_Nosy humans_ , Avitus though every time he made a trip up there. He soon realized that good help was hard to find, adding to his frustration.

"When the coronation is over," Jareth said. "You could possibly share this burden with Cormac."

"How is the Princess progressing?" he asked.

"Well. Very well," Jareth mumbled. "But it looks as though she's heading into the Garden of Illusions."

"Are you going to steer her away?" Avitus asked with concern.

"It's her run," he said as he looked out at the Labyrinth.

"You'll be keeping an eye on her?" Avitus asked.

"Towards the end, I will," Jareth answered. "Sarah wouldn't want me holding her hand unless she was in real danger."

* * *

Sarah arrived at a fork in her path. Seeing that the Castle was off to her left, she resolved to go to the left. She walked passed an opening which had a trellis bordering it but decided to keep going straight. Unfortunately, she only made it a few hundred feet before she came to a dead end. Sarah turned around and walked through the opening she'd passed over earlier and stumbled upon some sort of hedge maze.

The light level was dim and the air was heavy with a dreary fog. The hedges were tall and imposing. Even though the area appeared forbidding, Sarah felt oddly calm as she walked through. But she noticed small bushes with small purple flowers, possibly an herb of some type, lining the bushy walls. Sarah didn't think that she would have to use her botany skills, yet here she was, attempting to figure out what these things were.

"Sarah!" yelled a young boy.

"Toby?" Sarah said, turning toward the voice. The boy ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Sarah? It's so good to see you," Karen said as she emerged from the fog with Robert by her side. "You need to visit more often."

"Karen? Robert?" she whispered, tears forming as Karen gave her a hug.

"Excuse me? Karen said, pulling back and giving Sarah a disapproving glare. "Calling us mom and dad not enough for you anymore?"

Sarah shook her head and stepped away from Karen.

"Of course you're not real," she sighed as her hand sliced through them, causing the apparitions to disappear. "This seems too good to be real. I feel calm, relaxed, and content. You are marjoram," she pointed to the small shrubs. "And you're drugging me."

Sarah remembered that her mother always loved marjoram oil and applied it to her neck nearly all the time. Since the oil acted as a sedative as well, Sarah fully understood why her mother used it. The fog was making the air dense, making the effects of the herb more powerful. Add some magic and this place would show someone what makes him or her happy. She ripped her long sleeves and brought the fabric to her nose, trying to block out the air around her.

"I'll never get out of here if I don't move fast," she confessed as she tried to find an exit.

Dead end end there. Sarah had never been so turned around before. If only she could knock down these hedges.

"Congratulations, Queen Sarah," said a small voice as she rounded a corner.

"Queen? Congratulations for what?" she asked, her voice muffled by the fabric across her face.

The slight elf approached Sarah and chuckled. "Labor must have been tiring," she said as she held up the small bundle. "It's a girl. His Majesty will be thrilled."

Sarah couldn't help herself as she peered into the elf's arms. Swaddled in bright linens, the baby looked up at Sarah and began to coo. Sarah placed the baby in the elf's arms and backed away from the illusion. She started to hyperventilate and quickly fled.

Tears filled her eyes and clouded her vision, causing her to nearly run into a large casket. Sarah caught her footing but took note of what lay before her, not one but two closed caskets.

"What are you doing here?" asked a voice behind her.

Sarah turned around to see a tall, sandy haired man scowling at her.

"Um, nothing?" Sarah replied.

"You're Sarah, aren't you?" he asked.

"Toby?" Sarah asked.

"You're not invited here," Toby spat. "Family only." Sarah looked between him and the caskets.

"Is that…" She could barely bring herself to ask. "Is that mom and dad?"

"I don't know what you are talking about- this mom and dad business," Toby said. "But the last time I checked, being neighbors with someone doesn't count as family. You're not welcome here. Get out!"

At Toby's outburst, Sarah escaped around another corner and continued to run until she couldn't run anymore. She rubbed the water out of her eyes as she caught her breath. When Sarah finally gathered her bearings, she noticed that the marjoram was gone. Instead, the hedges had the same type of flower embedded in them. The smell told her exactly what they were.

"Marigolds. Gross," she said in disgust. To Sarah, nothing else smelled like marigolds. They were pungent, musky, sharp, halfway unpleasant, yet still oddly appealing. Marigolds definitely weren't her favorite flower. Regrettably, she lost her the fabric from her sleeves during her last run, but she wasn't going back.

"What do marigolds mean?" she asked herself as she continued walking. "Clearly not happy things." Sarah walked around another corner when the answer hit her. "Grief and despair. Great. This is going to be the super fun part of the Labyrinth I can tell." She only made it two more turns around the maze before she saw another elf, holding something in her arms, sobbing. In the deep recesses of her mind, she knew this wasn't real, but she couldn't help but wonder what was happening.

When Sarah approached the elf, she was taken aback by the grief-stricken look on her face.

"We did everything we could, Your Majesty," the elf sobbed as she handed Sarah the small bundle. "We couldn't save her." Sarah gazed down to see a lifeless newborn baby. Sarah screamed in horror. Her hands glowed red, causing the illusion to disappeared. She retreated to a corner in the hedges and fell to her knees and wept.

"It's not real," she reassured herself. "It. Is. Not. Real." Her glowing hands returned to normal, and her crying finally ceased. Sarah jumped to her feet, a bit unsteady at first, and marched on, determined to leave this place with her head in place. Sarah decided the best course of action was to run as fast as possible through the rest of this maze. The air was thick, and she might become dizzy, but, at this point, she was willing to risk it.

But her jogging came to a halt when she heard chanting on the other side of the hedge.

"She's a fraud!"

"She's not fit to lead us!"

"We. Want. Oberon!"

Sarah continued to jog through the imitated demonstrators, trying not to let their words get to her. "Bunch of idiots," she mumbled as they dissipated around her. Sarah had no idea how long she'd been running, but her legs were getting tired. She noticed that she wasn't running as fast as she was, and she couldn't keep focus as well. When she thought she couldn't run anymore, Sarah came upon an archway in the hedges, which she could see the exit through.

"Awesome," she said in relief, as she slowed down to a walk. "My legs are killing me."

"What have you done?" asked the sinister sounding voice.

Sarah turned to the side and saw Jareth walking toward her. "Jareth?"

"I sacrificed everything for you," he growled as he advanced. "I could have died doing your bidding, and you have the gall to not bear me children. Barren they said. What a pity."

The lightheaded feeling that Sarah feared hit her as she tried to back away from him.

"Jareth, I don't know what you are talking about," she said as he back hit a hedge. "But you sound crazy. Crazier than normal anyway." Sarah brought her fingers up to her head and began massaging her temples.

Jareth placed his hand on either side of her face and leaned down to her ear.

"You've been nothing but a waste of my time," he spat. "I should have kept to myself and not bothered with you. At least a common whore would bear me children."

"No!" Sarah yelled as she struck the artifice with her hand. Sarah took off running through the archway. A dark figure ran by her, but she didn't see what it was as she made her way out of the maze. The stone wall held her up as she tried to hold back tears.

"Sarah?"

"No! Go away!" she yelled again, striking being. She realized two things: first, her hands were glowing, and second, she hit Jareth in the arm. He shot to his feet, unconcerned about his injured arm, and seized her in a strong embrace.

"It's actually you," Sarah whispered, grasping at his back, drawing him closer.

"I told myself to watch you from the beginning, yet I decided not to," he said. "Others don't make it to the Mist of Sorrow, especially that quickly."

"How did you know to come get me?" she asked as she buried her head in his chest.

"Takes the regular person more than three hours before they leave the Fog of Delirium, if they leave there at all," Jareth explained. "But of course you would go through the maze quickly."

"How long was I in there?" Sarah asked.

"Almost two hours," he replied.

"It seemed shorter than that," she admitted

"It always does. I have no knowledge of what you saw but know that it wasn't real in any way, shape, or form," Jareth said as he raked his fingers through her hair. "It was all in your mind. Remember that."

"Yeah. I know," Sarah whispered.

"Come. We're going back to the Castle," Jareth said.

"No way," Sarah protested as she moved away from him. "How much time do I have left?"

"Three hours," he answered tersely. "Sarah, you are in no condition…"

"You don't know what condition I'm in," she countered. "I said I would finish; I said I'd _beat_ you. And that's what I'm going to do."

"I'm not joking here," Jareth said. "Enough of this."

"Stop coddling me," Sarah snapped. "A few hallucinations aren't going to bother me. Everything is fine. I. Will. Finish."

"Sarah…"

"I'm leaving now, Jareth," she said as she walked away from him.

"Stubborn battle-ax," he muttered as he returned to the castle without her.

* * *

"So, this is what this place looks like when you aren't dropped into it," Sarah said as she looked at the trash heap. The sun had gone completely down and the moonlight shone bright across the landscape.

"Hiya, Sarah" said a timid voice behind her. "Hoggle!" she cried out as she ran to give her friend a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Eh, Jareth told me to come help you," Hoggle explained as he shifted his feet in the dirt. "He wanted me to look at for ya."

Sarah returned to her feet. "That overbearing fae," she huffed out. "Can't just leave me alone." At Hoggle's uncomfortable appearance, Sarah changed her attitude.

"But I'll take any help I can," she said. "Let's go Hoggle. I have less than three hours to go."

As Sarah and Hoggle made their way through the trash heap, they occasionally needed to climb the mounds of trash to get to back onto the road. She was mostly okay with this notion because the trash turned out to be old keepsakes instead of rotting food.

"What's the point of all this nonsense?" Sarah asked.

"This place holds the things that people just can't get rid of," Hoggle said, carefully sliding down the hill. "Jareth usually send them here so the runners get confused seeing all this stuff. Those who come through this thing aren't the most generous of people."

Sarah gave Hoggle a sideways glance as they made it back to the road. "Thanks."

"Not you!" he hastily corrected. "Never you."

"Yeah, yeah," Sarah said. "I see how it is."

When they made it to the gates of the Goblin City, Sarah was a little bit surprised that she was able to walk straight through.

Hoggle shrugged. "He ain't interested in stopping ya this time."

"I'm sure he isn't," she muttered as she started walking into the Goblin City. "This is a cute little city."

"You didn't get much time to look last time," Hoggle chuckled. "Much nicer when stuff ain't flying at yer head."

Sarah looked inside on of the building to see two goblins serving patrons some ale while another one carried a keg behind the bar. Hoggle cleared his throat.

"Eh, how much time do ya have left?" he asked. "Maybe you walk around later."

"Oh, right," Sarah said as she back away from the tavern. "You can stay here, Hoggle. I can get to the Castle by myself." Hoggle peered into the bar and saw a few open seats left.

"I hopes you win Sarah," he said, shaking her hand. "I'll see ya later."

"Note to self," she said, walking to the castle. "The easiest way to get rid of Hoggle is to point him to a bar."

There were no sentries standing guard at the door to the throne room, but the door was closed nonetheless. Sarah decided to knock on the door instead of rushing in.

"Who is it?" Jareth's voice could be well heard through the door.

Sarah laughed as she opened the door and peaked in. "Hello," she whispered. Jareth left his throne and stalked toward her as Sarah shut the door behind her.

"It's quiet in here," she said, noticing that the room was empty and clean, of all things. "Did I make it?"

Jareth's lips collided onto hers while his hands cradled the sides of her face, holding her in place. Sarah attempted in vain to move him back when his mouth moved to her neck.

"Did I make it?" she asked again, more breathless this time.

"Of course, you did," he mumbled against her neck. Sarah successfully pushed him off her.

"I won? Really? Yes!" Sarah exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. Jareth rolled his eyes as he reluctantly back away from her. He pointed to his left, and the same ornate clock from her previous run appeared.

"Twelve hours and twenty one minutes," Jareth said. "Still reigning victor."

"Are you surprised?" she asked as her hands wrapped around his neck.

"No," he admitted. "If you think you made me upset, you're sorely mistaken. You did, however, undertake some of the most long and arduous portions of the Labyrinth. Yet you still made it out." Sarah didn't answer him, instead looked down at the floor. Jareth titled her head up to gaze into her eyes.

"Are you all right?" he asked. But, she still said nothing. "What you saw in that hedge maze isn't true. I never should have let you go in there."

"Shut up, Jareth," Sarah chided. "You're not the boss of me, remember? I know it wasn't real. I'm just tired. That's all."

"What did you see in there?" he inquired. Again, tears started to form, but she willed them away, refusing to let Jareth see them.

"Nothing." Sarah shook her head. "It was nothing."


	2. Chapter 2

_So the days float through my eyes_  
_But still the days seem the same_

* * *

"And the flowers you want?"

"We already went over this," Sarah complained. "Red roses with orange orchids."

"No. No. No," Lydia said. "That was for the ceremony. This is for the reception."

"There's a reception?"

"Of course, there's a reception," Cormac scoffed. "We can't just invite people to the palace and then not entertain them."

"You mean, placing a crown on my head isn't entertaining enough?" Sarah asked, flippantly. "I'm hurt. I thought that would be amusing all by itself."

Cormac shook his head as he went back to taking notes. Sarah was exponentially easier to be around than Jareth, but both of them had a habit of not taking their jobs seriously. However, he was okay with Sarah's lack of professionalism; it allowed him to be needed and therefore have a job.

"How many people are expected to be here?" Sarah asked.

"A thousand to the ceremony," Cormac answered. "And roughly five hundred to the reception, maybe six."

"Oh, and invitations need to go out by tomorrow," Lydia chimed in. "I have several types mocked up for you to consider." Sarah had recruited Lydia to help, along with her husband, who was in the royal kitchens. Jareth joked that Sarah kept poaching his citizens, but if he could help Sarah be comfortable in her new role, then Jareth would send her as many people to assist her in any way possible.

Sarah began rubbing her temples, trying to halt an impending headache.

"Oh, god," Sarah muttered. "I need a drink."

"We'll go over the spirits for the reception later. Flowers? For the reception?" Lydia prodded, twirling her pencil in the air, eager in her planning of these events.

"Peonies," Sarah answered, dismissively.

"What color?"

"Pick one," Sarah said in a curt tone. Lydia stood up and made her way to the door, ignoring Sarah's outburst.

"I'm going to get those invitations," Lydia said. "The paper needed for them just arrived from the centaurs. They are so deft at papermaking; I had no idea. I've learned so much already by simply being here. Also, I need you to look at the various boxes that the invitations will be sent in."

Sarah groaned as her head hit the desk.

* * *

Jareth sat in his throne and stared blankly at the walls as the sound of his brother flying in barely caught his attention.

"Curious minds want to know why you dropped your barrier," Lochlan said.

"It's only temporary," he answered. "Just getting a feel for it; I'll probably place it back up tomorrow."

"Have you conducted court already?" Lochlan asked.

"Finished roughly an hour ago. Why?" he answered.

"Wondering why you're still here," he said. "And more importantly, why you summoned me."

Jareth left the throne and walked toward his brother, handing over a several pieces of paper.

"What is this?" Lochlan questioned as he quickly shuffled through the papers. "Why are you doing this?"

"Are you opposed to the idea?"

"No, this was to be expected," Lochlan said, handing the papers back. "I find it peculiar that you are approaching this in such a formal manner."

"I think this would make the process easier," Jareth explained. "Although those ridiculous outcasts are not taken seriously, they are loud and like to be heard at any moment. Hopefully, this will silence them."

"So, why did you bring this to me?" Lochlan said. "You're more than capable of knowing whether this would go over well. I tend to give zero shits about what people think. I'm not going to begin caring what those in the Seelie Court think now."

"I'm not asking you how others will respond," Jareth said. "I'm asking you. Is this acceptable with you?" Lochlan was taken aback by his brother's consideration.

"This is your kingdom, Jareth," he said. "You can do with it as you wish."

"Stop hiding behind that façade," Jareth chided.

"Would my objection change anything?" Lochlan asked.

Jareth shrugged. "Probably not. But you deserve a say nonetheless. This will always be your home."

A few moments of silenced passed. "Nothing is the same," Lochlan sighed. "The Seelie Court that our parents knew would be unrecognizable to them now. I have no issue with this. Go ahead."

"I'll read over it one more time before I approach Sarah," he said.

"Speaking of your paramour, have you heard what the Seelie Court is saying?" Lochlan asked.

Jareth chuckled as he shook his head. Many things have changed, yet his brother's addiction to gossip stayed the same.

"No. I prefer to receive hearsay directly from you," he said.

"Everyone's in a tizzy over the nuptials of the future Seelie Queen and the Goblin King," Lochlan said.

"People are allowing themselves to be upset over nothing," Jareth said as he turned back toward his throne. "Right now, there are no nuptials

"Exactly. The gambling halls are crowded with people betting on when the engagement will be announced and when the wedding will actually take place," Lochlan said. "I have a few gold bars on five months and six months, respectively."

"What?" Jareth asked, annoyed.

"If you could possibly not do anything until then," Lochlan continued, disregarding his irritation. "You would be helping me out a lot."

"As if you need the money," Jareth muttered as he sat down. "Why are people gambling on this?"

"Because who doesn't like to gamble? And it's bound to happen." Lochlan raised a skeptical brow. "Is it not?"

"I'm not going to discuss this with someone who bets on other's lives," he said. "It's none of your concern."

"Come now, Jareth. You love a good wager. You're only upset that it's about you," Lochlan said. "Plus, everyone loves a wedding: the dancing, the drinking, and the overall merriment."

"You're just interested in the bridal party," he retorted.

"I can be interested in more than one thing at a time," Lochlan said with a smile.

"Her subjects are already getting an ostentatious coronation," Jareth countered. "There's no need for all this speculation."

"But we are talking about the Seelie Court," Lochlan explained. He began pacing the floor, a family habit. "They love spectacle, and after the recent events, you can't really fault them for wanting to party until they can't remember who they are. You might as well cave in and go through with a charming nuptial. Besides, the only proof the masses have of your bonding with their future queen is your word. The fact that a few of your crystals have a bit of red in them could just be a parlor trick. Not really something that the Court should rests it fate on. They would want something more concrete. Otherwise the good will you have gathered with these people will soon dissipate and the conspiracy theories will begin again- probably something along the lines of mind-control of their poor, _helpless_ queen."

Jareth said nothing in response and was looking away from his brother.

"But you already thought about it, haven't you?" Lochlan said, stopping to lean against a wall.

"Of course, I have," Jareth scoffed, leaving his throne to pace back and forth. "I'm not an idiot."

"Exactly. So, what's the delay then? Afraid she'll reject you?" he asked. "Waiting for the birth of your bastard child?"

Suddenly a knife whirled by Lochlan's face, embedding itself into the wall, inches from his face. "Watch your tongue," Jareth snapped, backing his brother into the wall. It had been a while since Lochlan made Jareth angry enough that his eyes went black, but he found himself staring into his brother's black eyes, wishing he hadn't gone that far with his teasing.

"Regardless of the circumstances," Jareth hissed. "No child of mine will be considered a bastard." He backed away from Lochlan and walked out of the throne room.

"Point taken," Lochlan said to an empty room.

* * *

"Your Highness," said the diminutive fae. "What brings you here? Not that I'm not always delighted to see you."

Sarah just laughed. Gitta had been the lead healer who delivered Sarah. A delightful middle aged fae who had been jailed for many years after openly objecting to what Sarah's parents had planned for her.

"Well, what brings you here?" she asked as she motioned for Sarah to sit in a chair across from her desk. "Are you feeling ill? You look fine." Sarah took the offered chair as Gitta handed her a cup of tea.

"I came to talk to you about something," Sarah said while fiddling with her thumbs. "I know I may sound crazy, but I don't know. Maybe it's just stress."

"I cannot begin to imagine the amount of pressure you are under," Gitta said. "Frankly, you've been under stress since you arrived."

"Is it true the one in three female fae are infertile?" Sarah blurted out. "I don't even know what I would do if I was."

The matter had been in the back of her head since things settled after she woke up. One of the many papers that her mother left behind for her was a letter Titania wrote to Sarah stated how surprisingly happy she was when Sarah was born, not because of how hard it was to conceive but also because Titania was proud that she gave the Court an heir. Ever since the various illusions in the maze, the issue weighed heavily on Sarah and wouldn't go away. She couldn't get past the idea of not being able to fulfill one of the few things that were expected of her.

Gitta blinked twice then blurted out huge laugh.

"Oh dear," she said as she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes, but she sobered up when she saw Sarah's straight face. "Oh, sorry. You were locked up in this Palace for so long I forget that you only know what you've been told- which wasn't much in this area I see wasn't."

"So, it's not true?" Sarah asked.

"No! I mean not really," she clarified. "That's a rough explanation of a fae's ability to have children, and one that is clearly not kind to us females."

"Then what's the long explanation?" Sarah inquired.

"Both the males and the females are to blame for our low birth," Gitta explained. "I assume that's for the best. Can you imagine if we bred like humans and lived as long as we did? We'd be living on top of each other; it would be madness."

"So we're not barren?" Sarah asked. "All of us can have children?"

"Not in the slightest. The males are just as to blame for this as we are," she joked. "All of their sperm nearly die before they reach the egg. Fae males have the laziest swimmers."

Sarah choked on her drink at the admission.

"Well it's true," Gitta admitted. "And us females? I'd like to think that our bodies are fighting nature by killing any swimmers that try to make it through."

"That's a bit disturbing way of looking at it," Sarah said. "So I have nothing to worry about?"

"Of course not," the healer affirmed. "Listen, Jareth and Lochlan, their births aren't normal. Kids within a few years of bonding and so close together? That's a near miracle. Don't judge yourself by looking at others, Your Highness."

"All right," Sarah muttered.

"I mean it," Gitta said. "What brought this up? You haven't even been crowned as Queen yet. Becoming hyper aware of your role already?"

"I…" Sarah began. "I don't want to let those around my down. So much is a stake."

"If it will ease any worry you have," she said. "When things settle down, I can run some test for you. They're not perfect, but these tests might calm your mind."

Sarah said nothing but gave a nod.

"Everything is so brand new to everyone," Gitta stated. "People will be speculating about you over any little thing. You would do well to ignore it."

"I'll try," Sarah said.

* * *

A knock on the door was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Who is it?" Sarah shouted.

Jareth walked in and saw Sarah standing on a small pedestal with several seamstresses surrounding her while Lydia and Cormac stood off to the side.

"You're supposed to wait to be called in," Cormac whispered, assuming Jareth didn't hear him.

At Jareth's warning look, Cormac cleared his throat. "Oh, look. I have somewhere else I need to be," he said before walking out of the room.

"A room just for gowns?" Jareth asked as he took a look around. "Where is Sarah and what have you done with her?"

"It's only a dressing room," Sarah explained. "I'd rather they do this all here rather than invade our bedchambers. At least, I can focus all my hatred on one room." She started to unclasp the dress, much to the chagrin of her seamstresses.

"Two hours is enough," Sarah said, preempting their protesting. "I'm done for the day."

"Princess Sarah…" Lydia began to object.

"No. I'm over this," Sarah said as she finally shed the gown, leaving her in a slip. "Oversee them for the rest of the day. I don't care. But I'm not standing here anymore."

Lydia sighed in frustration as she helped gather the gown. "Fine, but we need to finish it tomorrow."

"Ready to quit, Lydia?" Jareth asked, looking on with amusement.

"Never been happier," she responded with a genuine smile, walking out the door with the seamstresses and the gown.

"I think she likes bossing me around," Sarah said, putting her dress back on.

"It's a secret power that our assistants have over us," Jareth stated. "We need them, and they know it."

"I thought I would have to deal with less bossy people now," she complained. "I was wrong. So very wrong."

"This is what happens when a coronation takes place within a month," he explained as he walked over to help clasp her dress. "These things normally take a year. But don't be to troubled. This will help the healing process; a celebration will help everyone, I'm sure."

"Yeah, yeah," Sarah said. "It's barely four o'clock. Finished with all your work?"

Sarah and Jareth hadn't seen each other since the night after she ran the Labyrinth again. Although Jareth normally spent his nights at the Palace, he had to deal with two runners, which kept him away. Thankfully for Sarah, Avitus and Cormac dealt with placing the children into new homes.

"The day after court is always quiet," he said. "And I still have some business to attend to with you." Sarah turned around giving him a curious glare.

"Is that another one of your euphemisms?" she said. "Just letting you know that I'm in no mood."

"I'm not using word play," Jareth said. " _This_ time. I believe your office is a more appropriate venue. I'm surrounded by too much chiffon and taffeta. I need to get out of here."

"Here, let me save you from this torment," Sarah teased as she transported them to her office. When they arrived, Sarah called for Cormac to bring them some refreshments.

"Kalin brought me some amazing tea," she said when sat at her desk.

"Enjoying the perks of being the future Queen of the Court?" Jareth said.

"Listen, I didn't make her bring it to me," Sarah countered. "It's brand new Pixie concoction, and she wanted me to try it. We are capable of having a normal friendship… normal to us anyway."

"Yes, yes," he said. "Teas and friendship. How very sweet. Now, down to business."

"Ew, between you and me?" Sarah said in disgust. "But I don't want to work anymore."

"Too bad, Princess," Jareth said as he placed the papers in front of her. Sarah picked up the documents as Cormac brought in the tea and placed it on her desk.

Before Cormac left, Jareth said, "You didn't wait to be called in." Cormac turned around to see Jareth sitting in a chair across from Sarah with a Cheshire smile on his face.

"My apologies, Your Majesty," he said.

"He's trying to rile you up," Sarah said, without looking up from her reading. "You can go."

"I do miss upsetting him," Jareth sighed. "Avitus is too good at ignoring me."

"Enough with annoying people," she stated. "What is this?"

"Oh dear," Jareth said in mock concern. "They never taught you how to read."

"I know how to read, Thorn-In-My-Side," Sarah snapped. "Why would you do this?"

Jareth dropped the act, becoming more serious. "Because times have changed. Weren't you the one who said that?"

"Yeah, sure, but your mother established that kingdom…"

"As a safe haven for her children," he interrupted. "And for others as well. As far as I'm concerned, having it separate from the Court is no longer needed. Things will be easier for my citizens and for me."

Sarah inhaled deeply and reread the document. She didn't think that Jareth was trying to pull something by her, but she was taken aback by this decision. His contract had everything laid out: a trade agreement, taxes to be paid to the Court and the supplementary civil support from the Court, and a yearly tribute.

"I wasn't expecting you to do this," Sarah said. "You don't have to do this."

"No, I don't," Jareth sighed. "And yet I am. I won't lower the barrier over the Labyrinth. The trade through the Goblin City will only accessible once a week. I don't want people running through the maze and causing havoc."

Sarah said nothing yet continued reading again, causing Jareth to become restless.

"Is something wrong, Sarah?" Jareth asked, sounding hurt. "Do you believe that I would hand you a terrible agreement?"

"For a moment, I thought that I should send this to someone for them to sign," she said. "But then I realized that person is me. I just want to make sure that you're not doing this out of some bizarre obligation."

"I have no interest in doing anything out of pure obligation," he explained. "Half of my people are from here and the reunification would be more than welcome. Also, if anything goes wrong, I can come complain to you."

"That's not the main goal of joining the Court," Sarah said as she picked up her quill. "If you want someone to cry to, cry on Avitus' shoulder." And with that last quip, she signed the documents.

"And now you are under my control," she smirked.

"Perfect," Jareth said as he lunged after her.

* * *

A knock on the dressing room door stop Sarah's need to run away, if only for a moment.

"Enter," she sighed in defeat.

"Oh! Look at this place," Kalin exclaimed. "I think this is two or three times larger than mine."

"Wanna switch?" Sarah asked. This was the third day in a row that Sarah spent on this dais, standing as still as possible as various swaths of fabrics draped over her body.

"Don't be such a downer," Kalin scolded. "You have the finest tailors and seamstresses literally at your feet." Sarah looked down to see that they were all working with the hem line.

"I have four dresses to wear for this coronation," she complained. "Four!"

"Of course four," Kalin said in agreement. "One for each occasion: the ceremony, the carriage ride through the capital, the reception, and the dancing. You can't wear the same dress to all of those events. How horrid would that be?"

Sarah glared at the Queen of the Pixies. "You're lucky I like you and that you bring me tea. What brings you here anyway?"

"You really hate dresses don't you," she said as she made her way over to Sarah. "And I'm here because I received your decree this morning. So, you plan to add a new member to the Court?"

"Are you here to protest? Couldn't you just write a letter that I can ignore later?" Sarah said. The bylaws required a three month waiting before a new kingdom joined the Court, allowing any protests from the other monarchs and nobles to be heard. Thankfully, Sarah hadn't heard from anyone, but it has one been a few days.

"No," Kalin replied. "I was expecting something like this. I came by to inquire about the upcoming Goblin Kingdom festivities."

"What?" Sarah said in confusion

"What?" Kalin mimicked back.

"What do you mean by _festivities_?" Sarah inquired. "I never said there was some sort of event."

"Exactly. That's why I'm here," she said. "Did you forget there's supposed to be a celebration? You didn't mention it in your announcement. When the Troll Kingdom joined the Court, there was a week-long party, stretching over the entire Court. The Goblin Kingdom can't be added without a proper welcome."

"Oh no," Sarah moaned as she hanged her head in dejection. "I can't believe this."

"I know. Just imagine if you didn't have me here with you," Kalin added.

"That means more time spent in this room. More time planning trivial parties."

"Yes!" Kalin shouted. "Is this not fabulous?"

"No. No, it's not," Sarah responded.

"I have some new linens arriving from the Elves in the coming days," Kalin stated. "I should send you some samples. There's this clover one that I believe would look amazing on you once you name a new successor to the Elven throne."

Sarah's head began to spin. "Are you finished with me?" she asked the elves working the hemline.

"Yes?" one of them answered.

"All right," Sarah said as she sloughed off the fabric. "I'm out of here."

"Where are you going?" Kalin asked as she followed Sarah out of the room.

"Lunch? Want to join me?"

"Sure," she said as she struggled to catch up to Sarah hurried steps. "Slow down. Are you freaking out? Don't freak out. Although, I don't really blame you. I had a slight nervous breakdown the first year of my rule. Nearly smashed everything in my castle."

Sarah stopped and turned to Kalin with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Come again?"

"Did I say that out loud? Nothing. Disregard everything that I just said."

"Um, Your Highness," came the timid voice behind her. Sarah spun around to see Cormac averting his eyes.

"Yes?" Sarah said, not understanding what his problem was.

"You're uh… Her Highness is wandering around in her undergarments," Cormac stammered. "It would be derelict of my duties to not point that out."

Sarah looked down and realized that she was only wearing a thin slip.

"Oh, yes, you're nearly naked," Kalin quipped.

Sarah grunted out her frustration as she opened the door to the dining hall. Kalin followed, seeing Sarah conjure a pair of jeans and a shirt.

"Can't stand to rid yourself of the Aboveground fashions, I see," Kalin smirked. "I can't decide if I loathe them or merely find it slightly appealing on you. Maybe they're so repulsive that they're appealing."

"Leave me alone," Sarah retorted. "And sit. I'm hungry and getting a headache."

Two fae servants appeared with platters and set plate of food in front of them. The pair ate in silence until Sarah broke it.

"Did you really have a breakdown after taking the throne?" she asked. Kalin placed her fork down as she considered the question.

"Maybe that's too harsh of a word," Kalin mused. "A series of mental collapses. Is that better?"

Sarah looked horrified. "No. Why would that make me feel better?"

"Because it wasn't really a breakdown," she explained. "It was like a rollercoaster. A series of ups and downs. And the downs were really bad. Very few sovereigns hand over the throne; they usually die. My mother and I had a strange relationship, but I loved her and was absolutely devastated when she left. She gave no warning. I'm a little miffed about that still, but never mind that. What's done is done."

Sarah only response was to stare blankly at her plate.

"Don't be discouraged, Sarah," Kalin said. "I had no one. I was only able to cry on the shoulder of my servants, and I had to pay them. I barely knew the other monarchs, and Oberon wasn't going to help me. Please don't forget that you don't just have Jareth. I'm here for you."

"Thanks, that helps a lot," Sarah said. "There's so much to do."

"Also, don't forget that there will need to be a ceremony for when Prince Brennus takes over the Troll Kingdom," Kalin quickly said. When she received a glare from Sarah, she said, "But that can wait. Of course."

"I'm going to run away to New York more now," Sarah muttered.

"Oh! I've wanted to tell you that I remember that mother had a cottage Aboveground," Kalin said. "I've never been, but I should. Is this New York anywhere near Inverness?"

"Isn't that in Scotland?"

"Yes!" Kalin said in anticipation.

"Then no," Sarah said. "It's not close at all."

"Oh, well damn," she said as she slouched in her chair. "But I should go visit."

"By yourself?" Sarah inquired. "Or with someone? Maybe Taggert?"

"Do you think he would come?" she eagerly inquired. "I mean, he can come along if he wants to. You and Jareth could visit if you would care to."

"I'd think we would get in the way… of certain things," Sarah said. Kalin threw a piece of bread at Sarah.

"Oh, shut it," Kalin said. "Where's this wedding everyone is expecting?" That caused Sarah to briefly choke on her food, causing Kalin to laugh. "Don't act surprised. I heard Taggert placed a bet on when you'll announce the engagement. He wagered two months."

"Kalin!"

"I wagered one month and two weeks," Kalin added.

"Kalin."

"Placed seven gold bars on it. I have a good feeling about that time frame," she said, unperturbed by Sarah's outburst. "It's okay. I can tell you because I doubt you'll be doing the proposing. Not cheating."

"I thought you hated people betting?" Sarah asked.

"Only when others do it to me," she said. "It's a lovely pastime. You can bet on anything. It's amazing."

"This place is a swarm of gamblers," Sarah muttered.

"Yes, it is," Kalin said. "We all get a nice tax from it, if that helps anything."

"On top of everything, the last thing I need to think about is a wedding," Sarah groaned. "We're already bonded."

"Are you kidding me? That's up there with the coronation," she objected. "And do you know why it's important?"

"The parties?"

"The festivities!" Kalin said at the same time. "Don't ruin my big reveals. But in all seriousness, being bonded only tells everyone that the two people in this palace actually like each other and aren't trying to kill each other, which I guess is also important after all we went through. All you and Jareth had was a weird bonding, because you two are weird. And, I mean that in the most loving way possible."

"How is calling me _weird_ considered loving?" she asked.

"Trust me, it is," The Pixie Queen cajoled, patting Sarah on the shoulder. "Also, the bonding wasn't public. You're not a private citizen, Sarah. Your subjects will want something that they can observer."

"If I have to think about putting together one more gala…"

"Then don't think of it as that," Kalin said. "I'm sure Jareth isn't thinking a wedding as just a party."

"You don't know what he's thinking," Sarah countered.

"That is very true," Kalin admitted. "But why else would Jareth want to be a part of the Court?"

"Easier trade relations? I know everyone is thrilled now that the Goblin Ale will be readily available here. "

"Sarah, all that tulle has gone to your brain," she scolded. "Okay. Fine. Yes, things will be easier diplomatic-wise. However, I'm sure you had a good education. What happens when the sitting King or Queen of the Court marries a ruler of a kingdom outside of the Court?"

Sarah mulled over the question for a few seconds. "Um, I don't know," she answered. "I don't think that has ever happened."

"Exactly!"Kalin replied. "We'd all have a shit fest on our hands. I mean we'll still have bumps in the road with him ascending to King of the Seelie, but it's nothing that hasn't been dealt with before. Wait a minute."

"Huh? What?" Sarah asked.

"Nothing," Kalin said as she rose from her chair. "I need to attend to something."

"Like what?" she inquired.

"Don't worry about," Kalin said as she gave a quick kiss on Sarah's cheek. "I'll see you in a few days."

Sarah was left sitting blindsided and sat alone in the dining hall.

* * *

"Toby," Karen said as she leaned against the opening to her son's room. "Not that I'm complaining about your lack of video game playing, but your father and I are a bit alarmed over your new interest in reading. Not that it's a bad thing, only concerned by this change in behavior."

In the past several days, Karen immediately noticed that after school and dinner her only son has eschewed the technology and spent most of his time reading. She didn't even realize that Toby had a library card.

"Um, you know," Toby said, finally looking up from one of the many books on the floor. "Someone brought it up at school. I don't know. I just got into it."

Karen reached down and picked up one of the books he'd flung to the floor.

"A Witches Guide to Faery Folk?" Karen whispered to herself. She picked up another book titled The Faery Teachings. "Why the interest in magic?"

"I don't know. I just am," Toby shrugged as he continued reading.

"Maybe it's just a phase," Karen said as she left the room. "A nice phase though."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not promising that I'll produce multiple chapters a week (I probably won't).
> 
> But, I wanted to show the world outside the Labyrinth ASAP.


	3. Chapter 3

_I've been waiting for you  
And you've been coming to me_

* * *

 

A small sigh escaped Sarah lips as a tender kiss was placed on her neck.

“I know what you’re doing,” she muttered. “But you have terrible timing. Return in an hour or five.” Jareth’s hand slowly descended down her abdomen before Sarah slapped his hand away. “You know I didn’t get here until after two in the morning and then you kept me up,” Sarah complained as she turned on her stomach. “So leave me alone.”

“Precious, I’m hurt. You know I intend to keep you up every night. All you need to do is arrive earlier,” Jareth said as he proceeded to get out of bed. “I told you if you need any help to tell me.”

“I know,” Sarah said. “I didn’t want to drag you into this, but I just might.”

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Sarah looked up at Jareth who was putting on his shirt.

“Maybe, if we’re quiet, they won’t think I’m here,” she whispered.

“Oh, Princess Sarah!” came Lydia’s voice through the wooden door. “I know you’re in there. Muiriol told me she hasn’t seen you anywhere.”

“I quit,” Sarah protested as she sat up.

“You can’t quit,” Jareth chided. “You haven’t even started.”

“I think I’m going to start sleeping at your castle for a while,” she said.

“You won’t hear me complaining,” he said. Jareth walked over to her and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Only one week left, Sarah. Remember that.”

Another series of knocks came from the door. Sarah let out a snarl as she begrudgingly left her mattress.

* * *

 

Sarah finally had a moment to herself, sitting alone in her office going through potential aspirants for the Elven throne. She was inwardly thrilled that she has been able to find a moments of peace, mostly because she told everyone to leave her be for a few hours.

A gentle rap on the door brought Sarah out of her moment of solitude. She stilled her movements, somehow hoping that if she refused to move the person on the other side would believe she wasn’t there and move on. It didn’t work this morning, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t work again. Maybe this time, she would be lucky. Yet, another rap of the door proved that she couldn’t hide anymore.

“Enter,” Sarah sighed. In walked Taggert, surveying the room he entered. He hadn’t visited the Seelie Palace since Jareth awoke; his visit was long overdue.

“Very nice,” he said. “Much nicer set up than the before. Lovely and bright, just like the princess who possesses it.”

“Always a charmer,” she said with a smile. Sarah immediately noticed that Taggert was dressed in his customary tunic. “Did you miss that little note saying you don’t have to wear all that?”

“Ah, yes, I did. And thank you,” Taggert said with a grateful nod. “As much as I hate wearing this outside my kingdom, I realized that it puts other at ease. The fact that you made clear your acceptance of me and my fellow centaurs well known is all that truly matter. It’s a nice change of pace to not receive scowls while walking down the hallways.”

Sarah was touched. “Um, you’re welcome,” she said. “What brings you here?”

“From what I heard, I was half expecting you to be throwing things at anyone who knocks on that door,” Taggert jested.

“Am I already garnering a reputation?” Sarah asked, slightly distraught. “If you were working on barely three hours of sleep for such a long time, you’d be upset too. And I haven’t been throwing things, yet. Please, take a seat.”

“No one is repudiating your character,” he stated as he sat down near her desk. Taggert looked at the papers Sarah pushed aside. “For what it’s worth, I’m pulling for Gwendolen, the Countess of Muirias. I heard she applied to be the next ruler of the Elves. ”

“She did, and I like her also. But I don’t think I’ve met her before,” Sarah confessed. “I couldn’t decide if I feel that way because I like her name. I know she’s qualified and all that, but ‘Gwendolen’ rolls of the tongue nicely. What’s your reasoning?”

“Well, I’m not going by her name,” Taggert laughed. “She was always the most amusing person to ever represent the elves whenever there was a gala or some diplomatic meeting. Her well-known and lengthy hatred of the previous monarchs is a plus. She’s the only elf in the running; I think that would help ease her into the new roll. And she drank one of my generals under the table. Do you realize how difficult it is to out drink a centaur? She’ll always have my respect because of that.”

Sarah grabbed the piece of paper with the Countess’ credentials.

“When did that happen?” Sarah asked, re-reading the paper. “She’s widowed and almost in her seventh millennium.”

Taggert let out a snort. “About fifty years ago,” he admitted, crossing his arms over his chest. “She’s a scrappy one. Her two sons are light weights, though. But that daughter of hers, Eveline- clearly that particular gene passes to females in the family. I think she hangs out with the Giants considering the way she acts: terrible mouth and fiery temper. You’d like her.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment,” she said, giving him her best set of side eyes.

“As you should,” he said with a nod. “Any male worth his salt should have a spirited mate by his side. Jareth knew what he was doing, which brings me to the reason why I’m here.”

“You can’t have Jareth,” Sarah interrupted, shaking her head. “He’s taken. Sorry.” Taggert shook his head and release a nervous laugh.

“No, you can keep that fae to yourself,” he said. “I came to speak to you about Kalin.”

“Are you here to talk about her gambling?” Sarah asked. “We should talk about that because I think it’s becoming a problem.”

“Ah, sorry about that,” Taggert said sheepishly, avoiding eye contact. “I thought taking her to a few gambling halls would be a nice experience for her.”

“You? All this is your fault?” she asked. “She’s betting on all sorts of crazy things now. Who knew you can gamble on when the season’s first major storm occurs?”

“Before you judge, she doesn’t gamble much,” Taggert explained. “She’s simply very animated about it. Kalin likes trying to game the system. It’s a numbers game for her.” Sarah dropped the fact that her new friend was turning into this world’s version of a card counter.

“So, you’ve been trying to get closer to her?” Sarah asked. “Why don’t you just ask her out?”

“Ask her out where?” Taggert asked, genuinely confused. Sarah nearly face palmed herself. Normal dating didn’t take place here.

“I mean, why I haven’t you asked whether you can court her?” she rephrased.

“I’ve been trying to gauge her feelings for me,” he admitted. “I think now is a good time to ask her, before the coronation and all that.”

“And you came here for my permission?” Sarah winced.

One of the many bylaws signed by the kingdoms of the Court stated that any courtship that could result in the merging of two territories would have to be approved by the reigning Seelie ruler. It was awfully paternalistic, but Sarah never gave that bylaw a thought until now.

“I understand if you would say no,” Taggert said. “I wouldn’t want you to be seen as acting in favoritism. Although, I would much appreciate it if you didn’t say no.”

“I’ll agree to this. However,” Sarah said. “We keep this quiet, only until everything calms down. We can draw up the paper work and come to a formal agreement on this later. But I’m not going to hold you back from your happiness with a degenerate gambler for a Queen.”

“You had me holding my breath there,” he acknowledged. “I’ve never been so nervous in my life.”

“Well, now you have to ask her,” Sarah pointed out.

“Damn, I know it,” he said, furrowing his brows. “Haven’t figure out what to do yet. I feel like I should do something special.”

“I know for a fact that Kalin’s favorite flower is the tulip,” Sarah explained. “The Royal Gardens are divided into different sections. There’s a tulip area, but no one tends to be out in the gardens after dinner, um, except me and sometimes Jareth. But, I have things to do, and you won’t have to worry about him being in a garden without me.”

“Thank you,” Taggert said, bowing his head in gratitude. “I’ll come up with something.”

Taggert stood up and made his way toward the door, but before he left he turned back to Sarah. “What did Jareth plan when he asked to court you?”

“Ha! He didn’t. Jareth doesn’t court well,” Sarah said. “I suggest you don’t go to him for advice.”

“For some reason, I don’t find that hard to believe,” he said. “And now that I give it further thought: I won’t ask Jareth for advice. I’m trying to woo Kalin not have her snap at me every chance she gets.”

Sarah stopped him before he made it to the door.

“By the way, what’s with this?” Sarah said with a smile as she lightly scratched her cheeks and chin. She wondered about ever since he walked in. Taggert had always presented himself clean shaven with his hair pulled back in some sort of fashion. Now, his hair was down, displaying the fact that he has been outdoors for long periods of time due to the light streaks developing in his dark brown hair. But, the facial hair is what actually shocked Sarah. Faes and elves shied away from that, but apparently centaurs did not.

“Eh, does it look foolish?” he asked, rubbing his face subconsciously. “I haven’t grown it out since I took the throne.”

“The beard is a nice length,” she said. “Any longer, though, and you’ll look like a homeless lumberjack. Make sure you keep that thing in check.”

Taggert chuckled as he turned back to the door. “I think I know what that means.”

“Does Kalin like the way it feels?” Sarah teased. He turned his head to look at her.

 _Do centaurs blush?_ Sarah thought _._

“Holy shit. You haven’t kissed yet,” she said, barely contained excitement. Sarah “You’re so proper and by the book. I have no idea what that’s like. It’s very quaint. You definitely cannot talk to Jareth about this. He’ll tease you forever.”

“And you?” he asked.

“I won’t tease you… publicly,” Sarah stated. “But we have to get this ball rolling. I’m going to help you out, my centaur friend. Are you free tonight?”

* * *

 

Sarah sat down and took a quick look around. “I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve been here,” she said. “Nice to know you haven’t turned this place into a pigsty.”

Jareth rolled his eyes as he finally took his seat at the head of the table. “This may surprise you, but I am an adult that is capable of maintaining a castle,” he grumbled. Sarah lightly tapped his shin with her foot.

“It was a joke,” Sarah said. Jareth said nothing as he signaled for food to be brought out. “What’s wrong? You’ve been rather quiet since I arrived. I know I’m not the only one who is busy. If you need space…”

“Everything is fine,” he reassured her. “My apologies, Sarah. Yes, we’re all very busy. However, that doesn’t excuse my attitude. So, why did you decide to come here? Finally ran away from Cormac and Lydia?”

Sarah laughed. “Sort of,” she said. “I needed to get away. Plus, I helped Taggert out with Kalin, and I told him I would be gone for the evening.”

“Are you playing matchmaker?” Jareth groaned, placing his head in his hand. “You have enough to worry about without meddling in others affairs or lack thereof.”

“I’m not meddling,” Sarah defended. “If someone asks for your help, that’s not meddling; it’s called actively caring.”

“If that’s your story,” Jareth said. “What does this actively caring plan entail?”

* * *

 

Kalin leisurely navigated her way through the Royal Gardens, wearing one of her customary full length gowns. She received an urgent missive from Sarah asking her to meet her here, specifically the tulip grounds. Sarah wrote that she wanted to go over fabric samples to redecorate the throne room, but not to bring any of her own. Apparently, Sarah had all her choices picked out. Kalin found it odd that Sarah would want to talk about these things after hours or even at all, but Kalin was never one to turn down friendly chitchat, especially since she never had anyone outside her castle to talk to before the war. That’s the one thing Kalin never expected, having actual friends.

Taggert paced back and forth, not something he was accustomed to doing. Sarah was sure this would work, but he was not. Doubt was always his weakness, which is why it took someone as headstrong as Kalin for him to realize that he was being deceived by the previous king. For that, Taggert would always be grateful. But, he wasn’t here to show how appreciative he was.

Taggert looked down at the small table setting and then around him to assess the candles bordering the tulips. His hands rubbed his brow in anxiousness. Taggert heard that waiting was always the hardest. How true that was.

“What is this?” said the voice behind him. Taggert ceased his pacing and turned to see Kalin standing at the opening to grounds, holding a piece of paper, confusion marring her face. “Where’s Sarah?”

“Sarah isn’t here,” he answered. “She couldn’t make it.”

“Really? Couldn’t make it, hm?” Kalin said, suspiciously, as she took a quick glace around. “I guess it would be hard for three people to sit in two seats. Are you going to tell me what this is for? I hope whatever is happening doesn’t ruin this hairstyle.” She gently palmed her high bun hairstyle.

“Dinner,” Taggert replied as he gestured to the table. “Would you like to join me?”

“What sort of food?” she inquired, looking at the empty plates on the table.

“Something called fettuccini alfredo,” he answered. “I heard it’s magnificent.” Kalin’s face broke out into an enormous smile. Sarah taught her kitchen staff numerous dishes from the Aboveground, and Kalin had the pleasure to taste test some of them. The various pasta dishes turned out to be her favorite.

“Well, I guess I can manage to have dinner,” Kalin said as she walked toward the table. However, Taggert moved in between her and the chair. “I forget that you like to pull out chairs.” Kalin attended many meals at Taggert’s castle, and no matter how loud and raucous his dining hall became, he always pulled out her chair.

“Proper decorum should never be overlooked,” he said as he pushed her chair in. Taggert shifted so that he had the legs of a human.

“Good thing you’re wearing that tunic,” she teased.

“I like to think ahead,” Taggert joked, sitting in his seat.

“You don’t actually have to keep doing that,” Kalin said, serious now. “I know that you aren’t some sort of crazed liminal being. We were all told some foolish things about each other.”

Although a week hadn’t gone by without her and Taggert visiting each other, they had only kept things civil, slowly deepening their friendship. Yet, Kalin had to place her foot in her mouth by implying the age old insult against centaurs that they are brutish, boorish beings. She found out that they were only loutish when in packs and inebriated but wasn’t everyone.  

“I know,” he said in hushed tones as summoned the servers. Taggert looked to the side and then back Kalin. The servers placed the food in front of them and then left. Silence filled the air as they began eating.

“I don’t think you brought me here to eat in silence,” Kalin said. “If I hurt your feelings, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin this evening by bringing up shit others think about you.”

“Did you know that before my uncle died,” he stated, placing his utensils down. “He was planning to secede from the Court? He hadn’t decided whether to be like the Goblin Kingdom and go it alone or if he was to join the Unseelie.”

“What? Why?” she asked.

“Oberon had favorites,” Taggert explained. “And it wasn’t us.”

Kalin turned her head down in embarrassment. She knew, everyone knew, the odd hierarchy that was in place. Oberon had not only had favorite rulers to have around him, but also favorite species as well. Fae and elves were at the top, her pixies were forgotten in the middle, and the others were seen as scum in his eyes. He never visited those lands and never allowed those considered “others” anywhere near the Palace, except for the ruler of the centaur kingdom. That was the only kingdom that wasn’t ruled by a fae.

“Listen, Taggert,” she said, uncertain of her words. “Your people, I’m sorry…”

Taggert released a chuckle. “I didn’t bring this up to hear your apologies. I don’t need it, and I don’t want it.” He cleared his throat. “My uncle had enough of this treatment and was ready to leave. He was working on convincing the rest of his subjects.”

“But, that would have been actual suicide. I doubt the Court would have let your people go without a fight,” Kalin said.

“And Oberon didn’t,” Taggert said.

In response to Kalin’s curious stare, he said, “He was poisoned.”

“Are you serious? And nobody said anything,” she exclaimed.

“It couldn’t be proved,” Taggert clarified. “His death just looked like he decided to move on to the Fade, but all of those close to him knew different.”

“How did you know?”

“Why would a single, childless king choose to die?” he countered. “We all found it odd that Oberon and his entourage decided to visit my uncle. We should have been more wary.”

“You were the next in line, I guess?” Kalin asked.

“No,” Taggert said. “My father was the third child born to my grandparents; my father and aunt had already passed on. I have two cousins ahead of me. Obviously, they declined the throne.”

“So you came in to save the day,” she stated.

“More like dragged in to save the day,” he explained. “I was the last one left in my family. If I didn’t take it, there would have been political chaos.”

“I don’t get it. After all that, why were you originally going along with what Oberon was telling us?” Kalin asked.

“Go along to get along,” Taggert answered with a shrug. “I wasn't too keen on the idea of being next.”

“I guess there’s a lot we don’t know about each other,” Kalin admitted. Taggert reached over the table and grabbed her hand.

“That’s one of the things I hope to remedy,” he said.

“If you want a gambling buddy, you have to count me out,” she said. “Sarah says I need to take it easy with that. She might be right.”

“No,” Taggert laughed, trying his best to shake off his nerves. “I’m trying to be serious here and you’re ruining it. I’m asking for your permission to court you.”

“Oh.” Kalin released her hand from Taggert’s and placed it in her lap. “It now seems so obvious, but I wasn’t expecting this. I just thought you wanted a quiet dinner away from your people.”

“That too,” he said.

“Do you know what Sarah and I have in common?” Kalin said, avoiding eye contact as she fiddled with her hands.

Worry struck Taggert but he said nothing.

“All the current ruling families except for ours have a little something extra,” she said, finally looking him in the eyes. “An elf ancestor here. A human way, way back in the genealogy somewhere. But not us, pure fae all the way down the line. My mother was so proud of that fact, my entire family is.”

A dejected grimace marred Taggert as he began to pull his chair away from the table. He didn’t really need an entire speech about how different he was. Taggert already knew that; he just hoped the fae he had grown to love would feel the same. However, Kalin quickly reached over to grasp his hand, halting his retreat.

“But my mother and I hardly ever saw eye to eye,” she said with a smile. “Purest are the most boring individuals to be around. I would hate to be boring.” Taggert gazed down at her hand over his. “But I expect more of things like this and less gambling halls and rowdy meals with your fellow centaurs.”

“I believe I can do that,” Taggert agreed. Kalin laughed as she left her seat to sit in his lap. She grabbed his face and placed a kiss on his lips. Taggert moaned in pleasure as his tongue slipped into her mouth, while his hands traveled down her back to her hips, drawing her closer to him. However, Kalin pulled back before either one of them got carried away, gently stroking his face.

“This,” she murmured. “I like this. Makes you look rugged.”

Taggert snorted. “I’m not an effete, lithe fae,” he said. “Everything about me is rugged.”

She placed small kisses along his neck. “Yet so full of yourself, just like every other fae. Where’s the contract?” she muttered against his skin. Taggert was still a bit dazed.

“The what?”

“The contract!” Kalin repeated, grabbing his face. “You had to speak to Sarah. So where is it?”

“Yes, about that,” Taggert said, looking to away from her.

“She _had_ to approve,” she’s said, troubled by his words. “She helped you set this whole thing up…”

“She did, and I will thank her later,” he reassured her, his hands slowly raking over her back. “However, she felt that with all the chaos going on with the approval of Jareth’s kingdom in the Court and her coronation… It would be better if we kept us secret for now.” Not knowing how Kalin would accept this idea, Taggert prepared himself for any outburst she may have.

“Secrets,” Kalin whispered against his lips. “I love secrets.”

* * *

 

When Jareth left the dining hall with Sarah, he turned to her and placed a small kiss on her forehead.

“I’ll be with you in a moment,” he said. “I need to quickly check on something.”

“What is it? Do you need help with something,” she asked, turning to him.

“No. No,” Jareth reassured. “I told Avitus that I would go over a few things after dinner.”

“All right,” Sarah conceded as she walked away. “But I’m not guaranteeing that I’ll be awake when you arrive.”

“I’m sure I can think of a few ways to wake you up, Princess,” he said. “And it won’t be a simple kiss.” Sarah turned her head and stuck her tongue out before she disappeared around the corner. Jareth walked the opposite direction toward his study.

“I was just about to come get you,” Avitus said as Jareth entered his office. “I assumed you had forgotten.”

“I’m assuming you have more of these delightful flyers to show me,” Jareth said as he sat behind his desk. “I told you to ignore these. They are not worth our time.”

“If these were simply the same odious words, I would continue to agree with you,” Avitus said as he handed Jareth several stacks of opened envelopes. “But it’s not.”

Jareth snatched the papers from his advisor and placed them on his desk. He opened the first one and read its contents. Jareth tossed it to the ground as he began reading another one. When all the read papers were thrown on the floor, Jareth bowed his head and raked his hands through his hair.

“Sire, I believe Her Highness should now be told about these,” Avitus cautioned. “It’s one thing to keep her in the dark about random flyers posted in the outer woods, but these… She should be aware of these.”

“No, she shouldn’t,” he murmured.

“Sire…”

“She will not be made aware of this either,” Jareth warned. “Sarah can’t do anything about this, and she’s still under a tremendous amount of stress.”

“Princess Sarah, soon to be Queen Sarah, is not as fragile as you think,” Avitus notified. “She’s been through much more than this.”

Jareth stood up and placed his hands on his desk, leaning toward Avitus. “You’ll not speak any of this to her. I have many things planned for us, and I won’t have this ruin those plan or have them sidelined in any way.”

“But Sire, you can’t ignore these death threats,” Avitus mumbled. “They claim that your presence in the Palace is an infection that will spread, that you must be stopped and destroyed…”

“Yes, I saw all that,” he snapped. “You don’t need to repeat what I’ve already read.”

“I was just trying to emphasize the importance that these letter hold,” Avitus stated.

“The security around the Castle and Palace are already at heightened levels,” Jareth reasoned. “Honestly, I’m surprised that I’m now receiving these threats. One would think that I would be receiving these earlier in my rule.”


	4. Chapter 4

_Now doesn't that make you feel better?_

* * *

 

The New York air was humid, and the sun was beating down, but that didn't stop the several hundreds or even thousands of people from perusing various stalls at the town's arts and music festival. The Williams walked among the crowd, stopping at every other food stall so Robert and Toby could sample the standard carnival food.

"Hey, mom," Toby said. "I see some of my friends over there. Can I go? This music is kind of lame anyway."

Karen shook her head in disappointment. One day her son would appreciate music that wasn't auto-tuned. "Fine but meet us back here in an hour," Karen said.

"Do you need money?" Robert asked.

"No, I'm good," Toby said before he made his way through the crowd. He weaved in and out of the crowds in search of the one person he knew always showed up at these events. As he approached the red and white covered tent with the "Palm Readings for $5" sign posted out front, Toby felt apprehensive about his plan but shook it off knowing that the most that could happen was some lady who he'd never see again laughed him out of her tent. He stood at the entrance of the tent, wondering if he should just walk in.

"Don't just stand out there, child," said a female voice from inside. "Come in if you want or go, but don't just stand around."

Toby walked in to see an older woman sitting in a high wingback chair at a table that had a customary crystal ball in the center.

"You're here all by yourself?" he asked, seeing that she was the only one present.

"I don't work well with others," she said, giving him a toothy grin. "More people mean less profit. Did you come here for chitchat? I charge for that as well, you know."

Toby didn't move from where he stood. "Are you a real psychic?"

The old woman laughed in response. "And even if I wasn't, would I really tell you? Sit down, child." After a moment of hesitation, Toby took the offered chair across from her.

"I must say," the woman said. "You have my interest. Someone your age usually doesn't care much about the future."

"I'm not here for a palm reading," Toby explained. "Are you able to communicate between realms?"

"With the dead?" she asked. "No. I have no interest doing that even if I could."

"No, I mean with other creatures," he clarified. "With elves or fae or whatever they're called. They're real, right? And live in a different place?"

"Aren't you a peculiar, boy," she said, impressed with question. "My name is Cara. And yours?"

"Toby," he answered.

"And why does Toby care about such clichéd girlish things?" Cara asked. "Usually by this age, even the girls lose interest in these things. Fae, elves-such fanciful talk."

"So, they're real, and you can talk to them?" Toby said, hopeful.

"Those are two separate and distinct questions," she said. "Do I believe in them? Yes. Never seen them, but I've heard from others. Can I speak to them? Never tried."

"But you can try," Toby said emphatically as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. "How much does it cost?"

Cara raised a hand in objection. "This isn't about money, dear Toby. These creatures are not all sweet and nice. Everyone likes to think they are, but faes, especially, are conniving creatures. Once you let them know who and where you are, depending on who you contact, well, they could make your life a living nightmare."

"But they wouldn't do that to me," he objected.

"Who are _they_?" Cara inquired. "You never said how you found out about the fair folk."

"You're just going to think that I'm crazy," Toby muttered.

"And you're talking to a psychic with a crystal ball on the table," she said.

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Toby laughed. "Just so you know, I do realize how crazy this sounds." Cara nodded. "For as long as I can remember, I've always had these odd dreams of me when I was baby. But that's nuts, right? Who can remember when they were a baby? Also, I'm an only child, but in these dreams, I had a sister and she wished me away. She had to run this maze to get me back. I only saw her running through a crystal. I was in castle, surrounded by these weird things…"

"Goblins," Cara whispered. "Are saying that you want me to contact the Goblin King? You must be out of your mind. I won't do it; I won't do it. I'm not contacting an Unseelie, no matter how much money you have, and you can just leave if that's what you had planned."

"No! Please you have to help," Toby beseeched. "I don't want to contact him. I want to contact her, the girl. I don't think she's who she says she is."

"You've met her? In this world?" Cara asked.

"Both of them," he admitted. "He's in my dreams too, but now they are my neighbors who happen to be gone all time. When they first showed up, I wasn't really paying attention, but then later… They looked too familiar, they are familiar. Her name is Sarah, and I know I'm not crazy. Me and my family… we know her. We just don't know how."

"Her name is Sarah? Do you know who she might be in this other world?" she asked.

"No." Toby shook his head. "Only that she's somehow with Jareth; he's the Goblin King from my dreams."

"Jareth? Never heard of him," Cara said. "But that's not surprising. They tend to not reveal their true selves to humans." She stood up and walked out of the tent for a few minutes and returned with a plant and plate of food.

"What are those?" Toby asked.

"Sage plant and some cake," she answered as she placed them on the table. "The plant will purify the air- make the connection to other world stronger. I'm glad that herb seller came in use. And fae, I've heard, are attracted to sweets. If this doesn't work, at least I now have some cake. This is the best I can do with the little knowledge I have about contacting realms. Now, give me your hands."

"What are you going to do?" Toby said as he slowly reached his hands over to her.

"Well, you said you wanted to reach her and reach her I'll try," she said.

"But you've said you've never done this before," he pointed out.

"Yes, but there's always time to try new things," Cara stated as she took his hands.

"Then how will you know what you're doing?" he asked.

"Never claimed to know what I'm doing," she said with a wink. "But I'll try my best. Now, close your eyes and when I start chanting, envision this Sarah. I'm not promising any type of miracles here, especially since it's not dusk or dawn. I don't know if she'll make an appearance or not or even how." Toby closed his eyes as he heard Cara chanting.

"Faerie beings I can't see," Cara chanted. "Please will you appear to me; help me, help me, if you would; my spell is only meant for good VENIO, ADVOCO, VIDEO."

Toby focused his mind on Sarah. First, envisioning Sarah running the maze and then the last time she came to visit his family.

* * *

 

Sarah lay with Jareth, asleep. However, she tossed and turned, unable to find peaceful rest. The week of the coronation always made one anxious, Jareth told her.

Sarah finally fell into a deep sleep, but her dream took her into a dark, endless room. "Hello?" Sarah said into the darkness.

"Sarah!" cried a small voice. It sounded feint but urgent.

"Who's there?" she yelled as she turned around, searching for the voice. "Who is it?"

"Sarah! Can you hear me?" the voice came again, this time louder, clearer, but still unrecognizable. Sarah became more alarmed and frightened. Why wasn't this person showing themselves?

"Who the fuck is this?" Sarah screamed.

"Sarah!"

Recognition dawned on her when she heard that last call.

"Toby!" Sarah cried out as she quickly sat up in bed, hyperventilating. Jareth awoke at Sarah cries.

"Are you all right?" Jareth said, wrapping an arm around her trembling body. He placed a kiss on her temple. "Have a bad dream?"

"I heard Toby," she said, her breathing normalizing. "This wasn't a normal dream. He was calling for me. How he could he do that?"

* * *

 

"AH!" Toby and Cara yelled out as they released each other's hand.

"Where did the burning sensation come from?" he asked, checking his hands for the burns that weren't there.

"I don't know," she answered, doing the same.

"We should try again!" Toby said. "I almost got through to her. I know it."

"Oh no, we're not doing anything," Cara stated as she stood for the table. "That's enough excitement for a lifetime. And the fact that you almost got through to her should answer your questions."

"No, I only have more," he countered.

"No one said that this would answer all your queries," she said. "Only one: your friend sure isn't human. Has powerful magic, that one."

"What do I do now?" Toby implored.

"Toby!" Came the call of his parents from outside the tent.

"Go home, obviously," Cara smiled. "Look, kid, you have had more communication with this creature than most have."

"She's not a creature," he muttered. "Thanks for your help anyway." Toby reached back into his pocket and pulled out the cash, handing it to her.

"Oh no," she said. "I'm not taking all your money. Well, not all of it anyway." Cara pulled out a five dollar bill from the pile in his hand.

"You did way more than read my palms," he said.

"That is true, but most people don't give me a once in a lifetime experience," she said. "Go home, Toby. You'll figure out what to do with this knowledge."

* * *

 

Morning was about to break, but Sarah and Jareth were already up, which was normal for him, but not for Sarah. She joined him outside on the balcony, watching the sun rise.

"Sarah, return to bed," Jareth said. "You hardly received any sleep. You should sleep as much as possible before we have to return to the Palace."

"I'm fine. I just…I can't get the issue of Toby out of my head," she said.

"It could have been a simple dream," he said.

"And if it isn't?"

Jareth bowed his head and sighed, resting his hands on the railing. "It's a possibility, however slim, that he has suspicions of whom we are and summoned some sort of spiritual soothsayer."

"A psychic?" Sarah asked. "They can actually do stuff?"

"If they try hard enough, they can reach through but only a little," he conceded. "He might have found a good one or a lucky one."

"He can't know about us," Sarah said, shaking her head. "This would cause problems."

"Would it?" Jareth asked, turning to her. "One less person to lie to."

"I don't want to drag Toby into this fabrication we've created," she said.

"It seems as though he wants to be drag into it," he said.

"I doubt he would go to those extremes. What kid goes to a psychic?" Sarah reasoned. "It was just a crazy dream."

A knock on the door halted their conversation. Jareth walked into the bedroom. "What is it?" he called out before opening the door. Darcy handed him a note.

"From the Seelie Palace," she said before walking away. Jareth closed the door and then read the letter.

"Sarah," he called out, which brought her into the bedroom.

"Yeah?"

"Did you not notify anyone at the Palace that you would be here?" Jareth smirked, holding out the note.

"What about it?" she asked defensively, snatching the letter from his hand. "It's the only way I could get peace and quiet."

"Congratulations," he said. "You have about ten minutes before Lydia officially loses her mind and calls a kingdom-wide search for you." Sarah quickly gathered her clothes off the floor.

"Shit!" she exclaimed.

* * *

 

Sarah sat at her vanity with a silent and obviously frustrated Lydia behind her, brushing her hair.

"Do I need to apologize again?" Sarah sighed.

"You don't need to apologize to me," Lydia said as she combed through Sarah's hair. "You're about to be Queen; you shouldn't bother yourself with such things."

Sarah turned around and grabbed Lydia's wrists. "I'm not perfect and having a new title in front of my name won't make me flawless. Okay? I should have told where I was going. I only wanted space, and I thought if I told someone they would follow me around, bothering me about seating arrangements again."

"We all need a break after this," Lydia confessed. "I want your coronation to be perfect."

"Maybe it will be; maybe it won't," Sarah said as she stood up and gave her a hug. "Perfection is boring anyway."

Lydia released a large sigh. "All right. All right," she conceded. "This all proves that you need ladies-in-waiting. More importantly, I need your ladies-in-waiting."

Titania had six ladies-in-waiting, but all of them decided to retire from their duties. Sarah wasn't very heartbroken over the decision. She barely knew those fae, and she doubted they would have much in common.

"Where do we find them?" Sarah asked. "Print an ad? Plaster it around the kingdoms? My social circle is pretty small."

Lydia kneeled in front of Sarah, grabbing her hands tightly. "Do you trust me?" Lydia asked.

"Uh yeah," she answered, flippantly. "If I can't trust you, I'm so screwed."

Lydia laughed. "Great! I know some women who used to work in Murray's tavern. I'm sure I can convince a few of them to come here. I'm sure you will all get along famously."

"Sure," Sarah shrugged. "Better plan than mine. Someone needs to live in those servant quarters. It would be a shame for all that renovation to go to waste."

"Damn. I was hoping you two would be fighting. What a boring way to start the day."

Sarah and Lydia turned to see Jareth leaning against the door frame.

"Still have a fondness to see others scuffle, Your Majesty?" Lydia asked as she stood to clean off the vanity.

"He is still part Unseelie," Sarah said. "Nothing has changed about that."

Jareth chuckled as he entered the dressing room. "Will there be any fights if Sarah comes with me for a few hours?"

Sarah looked up at Lydia and said, "I'm busy…"

"Her Highness is free for the day," Lydia interrupted. "We're supposed to be the staff not babysitters. Unless it's urgent, we'll leave you be. I'll get the word out."

"Thank you," Sarah whispered. Lydia only nodded and quickly left the room.

"I was really hoping for a fight," Jareth mumbled.

"Oh, shut up," Sarah snapped. "No one here is fighting."

"Maybe the two of you are at peace. You and I on the other hand…"

* * *

 

"Damn it!" Sarah yelled as she fell to the padded floor. "This isn't any fun."

"If you would cease charging recklessly," Jareth said. "You wouldn't be having this problem. If these were swords, you would have impaled yourself nearly a dozen times by now."

Jareth stood over her, shirtless, shoeless, gloveless and sweating, as he held out his hand to help Sarah to her feet. Nearly two hours into her sword fighting lesson and Jareth still couldn't get over the fact that she was wearing these odd things she called yoga pants and a sports bra. Whatever they were, this outfit was quickly becoming one of Jareth's favorites. He was actually having a hard time concentrating on their sparring. Since he kept beating Sarah during every match, it was a testament to how bad she was performing.

"I'm tired," Sarah said, breathing heavily as she dropped her staff to the ground. She slowly wandered around the sparring room, setting her hair back into a ponytail.

"I don't care," he said. "Loosen up. Pick up your staff."

"Can't I take a break?" she asked, still trying to catch her breath.

"No," Jareth answered. "You can only take a break once I see that you're actually listening to what I'm saying." That response elicited a rude finger gesture from his one true. "Come now, Sarah. Don't be upset," he laughed. "How should you stand?"

Sarah groaned in displeasure as she picked up her wooden staff.

"How should you stand?" Jareth asked again. "Sarah?"

"Shoulder width apart," she snapped back.

"And?"

"And with my leading foot slightly forward," Sarah added as she moved her body to match her words, holding on tightly to the staff at her side.

"Stop holding that staff in a vice grip," he reprimanded. "When you have a real sword in your hand, you'll regret developing that habit."

She never asked for this, Sarah had to keep reminding herself. Jareth had been gradually pushing for her to learn her to defend herself without magic.

" _What you did with Oberon was pure luck", Jareth said a few weeks before. "You don't have much options if someone is able to restrain your magic via iron, potion, or otherwise."_

So now, here she was in the Palace sparring room, getting her ass handed to her while she learned the basic techniques of sword fighting.

_Why did I ever let him talk me into this?_

"How should you hold your weapon?" he asked.

"Um," she said, trying to remember. "I hold it in front of me with the end pointed up, guarding my shoulder. Yeah?"

"Very good," Jareth said as he stood in position. "Begin!"

Suddenly, he swung his staff, angling down toward Sarah's legs. However, his attack was blocked as she swept aside his staff and returned to her guarded position. Jareth attacked again, this time horizontally at her abdomen. This time, instead of defending, Sarah moved her body out of the way, backing away from his strike.

"Stop evading and defend yourself," he ordered, swinging again for her stomach. Sarah raised her staff to try to block his attack, yet she failed to hold her cane properly, causing her to be hit in the fingers and dropping her staff.

"Shit!" she cried out, backing into the wall. Sarah inspected her hand, thrilled to see it wasn't bleeding. Jareth walked over to her and grabbed her hurt hand.

"You would think that after a few dozen times that this wouldn't hurt anymore," he said as he lifted her hand his lips and kissed it gently, removing the sting. "You're lucky to have me for a teacher. Mother never took away the pain when she taught me. She said she wanted the pain to stay in order to build resilience."

"How generous of you," Sarah muttered. "Now, I know for certain that your mother was a Grade A hard ass."

"Yes, she was," Jareth laughed. "I am absolutely thrilled that you have finally come to terms with my generosity as well."

"You're hardheaded," Sarah said, dropping her cane. "I'm not joking; I need a break."

"We're just getting started," Jareth pointed out while picking up her staff. "You have a long way to go."

"Of course, I do," she countered as she moved away from him and the wall. "If you're expecting me to be at your experience level, then you are more delusional than I thought. You've done this nearly every day for two millennia. I'm not going to be amazing after a few hours."

"Take you staff, Sarah," he said, not acknowledging her previous statements.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed, snatching her cane from his hand and readying her position. "Why won't you let me quit?"

One three hours later, Sarah lay on her back in the middle of the sparing room, unwilling to continue with the training. Breathing deeply, she could feel the sweat falling down her body. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jareth approaching with two chalices in his hand.

"Pushover," he said as he stood over her.

"Just hand me the water," she said, sitting up carefully. "Or feel my wrath, my super powerful wrath."

"And what would that entail?" Jareth chuckled as he sat next to her, handing her a cup.

"Kicking you in the face," Sarah mumbled as she took a gulp of water. "Really, really hard."

"The insults I receive from you," he said, kissing her exposed shoulder. "And after all that I do for you."

"Ugh, shut up about how generous you are," she said, untying her hair, allowing it to fall over her back and shoulders. "You basically beat me up for five hours. I don't believe that is anywhere close to being generous."

"I gave up my time…"

"You gave up your time? Am I a project now?" Sarah asked, insulted.

"Judging by the way you keep holding your staff," Jareth surmised. "Yes." That response warranted Sarah tossing the rest of her water in his face. Jareth slowly wiped the excess water off his face and chest while glowering at Sarah.

"There," she stated. "I defended myself from your snarky remarks."

Jareth abruptly launched at her, bringing her to the ground, pinning her to the floor.

"Still not fast enough," he said, licking the sweat off her neck.

"Gross! You can't be serious," Sarah complained. "I feel disgusting." Jareth said nothing as he trailed open mouth kisses down to her cleavage. "Go away," she feebly sighed yet made no attempt to move him.

"Never," he muttered, nipping the top of her breasts.

"Your Highness?" Cormac's voice rang out. "Are you in there?" Before Cormac could enter the room, the doors magically shut in his face.

"Walk in here," Jareth cried out. "And I'll remove your head from the rest of your body."

"I'll be waiting for Her Highness in her office when she's ready," Cormac said, his voice fading, signaling his quick retreat.

"You are so harsh on him," Sarah whispered.

"If he has his feelings hurt because someone yelled at him," he snarled as he fumbled with the clasps on her bra. "He's in the wrong profession."

"One of these days," she said, amused, while reaching around her back. "You'll learn how to unfasten these."

"One of these days, you'll learn to stop wearing these," Jareth countered. "Feel free to arrive at your training completely bare."

"What am I, an Amazon?" Sarah asked as he tossed her bra to the side. "Wait. Was it the Amazons who ran around naked?"

"You may try your best to kill the mood with your bullshit ramblings," Jareth said as he traced the border of her trousers. "But your odd, yet boring musings haven't worked before, and they won't work now."

"It's not my fault that your foreplay is so dull that I would rather discuss random topics instead," she smirked, giving him a wink. Jareth slowly raised his head to glare at her. Without warning, he ripped the front of her trousers open.

"Hey!" Sarah cried out, sitting up to grab his hands. "I like these pants!"

"I'm so sorry, Princess," he growled, pushing her back to the floor. "Do I now have your attention?"

"I was joking," she sighed, feeling her torn trousers fade away. Jareth only gave a small grunt as he continued to nuzzle her collar. Sarah grabbed his hair to lift his head up so she could look him in the eyes. "Hey, I was only joking. I love you." He removed her hand from his head and placed a small kiss on her palm. Jareth released her hand as his lips descended on hers as he hastily removed his trousers. Sarah raked her fingers through his hair and latched on before flipping him on his back, straddling his torso.

"Stop pulling my hair," Jareth moaned as Sarah nipped his neck.

"I'll stop pulling when you stop enjoying it," she said as she trailed wet kisses down his torso. The muscles in his abdomen tensed when she licked his skin as her hair fell forward, brushing against his side. His breath deepened when she used her teeth to nip the side of his stomach.

"Your teasing is making me insane," he growled. Sarah noticed his arms tensing, his fist clenched at his side. She felt his cock stiffen against her stomach where it lifted and poked against her as he became more aroused.

"Relax," she said even though she knew that he wouldn't. Her mouth returned to his skin; the muscles in his legs strained as she inched lower until her face hovered above his cock. She glanced up to see Jareth's eyes closed, his teeth biting his bottom lip. Sarah loved seeing him like this.

Sarah licked her lips, lifted a hand to wrap her fingers around his rigid shaft. A strangled moan tore from his mouth. She titled her head a little as her tongue leisurely licked the crown of his cock. Jareth jerked as his ass pressed tighter against the floor.

"Sarah…"

"So impatient," she scolded before she slowly ran her tongue along the side of his erection.

"Please," he groaned.

"Congratulations. You said the magic words," Sarah purred.

"Wench," he groaned. Her mouth wrapped around his cock as she took a few inches inside and began to lick and suck on him. She took more of him, moving him deeper inside to the back of her mouth and created a rhythm using slow and steady strokes. Strangled moans from Jareth were evidence of how much he enjoyed the attention. A strong, sharp flavor teased her tongue, signaling that he was close. Suddenly, one of his hands seized the base of Sarah's scalp, causing her to lift her mouth away from him.

"So close," she sighed, ignoring the wild look in Jareth's eyes. He roughly pushed her to the floor as he grabbed her wrists, jerked them above her head, and used his upper arms to brace his weight. Their gazes locked as his cock buried deep inside her.

"Wrap around me," he demanded.

"Bossy," Sarah gasped as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Jareth spread his knees and dug them into the floor for traction before withdrawing a little, only to slam back into her deep. The both cried out in pleasure as Jareth's grip tightened on her wrists. His mouth lowered, nudging her head out of the way to bite her shoulder. Without warning, he rocked his hips to fuck her slowly.

"No, no, no," she complained. Sarah tried to raise her hips to increase the movement but to no avail.

"You're not the only one who likes to hear begging," Jareth said before kissing her on the lips. "Say the right words, Sarah."

"Bastard," she growled. Jareth instantly slapped her ass. A cry of pleasure from Sarah turned to outrage when he stopped his thrusting, nearly pulling out completely.

"Fuck! Please!" Sarah yelled. She was rewarded with Jareth slamming back into her. Sarah threw her head back, feeling each powerful stroke as he rode her frantically, still refusing to release her hands. The tight friction that their joined bodies created soon turned into a powerful climax. Jareth roared as her vaginal muscles clenched around him as Sarah cried out. He freed her hands as he collapsed on her, both panting. Jareth kissed her shoulder and then lifted his head. Sarah reached up to gently caress his face.

"I love you," she whispered.

Jareth leaned down to nuzzle her neck. "I adore you."

* * *

 

Kalin stood in front the giant doors in the Palace, steadying her hand to knock. She was nervous, but she shouldn't be. At least, that's what she told herself. Sarah was her friend, her first true friend and she shouldn't feel apprehensive about seeing her friend. Even if this friend did officially summon her to the Palace, something Sarah had never done, especially this late at night. Before she could knock, the door opened with Cormac on the other side.

"Oh, this is new," Kalin said, taken aback.

"This makes people take me more seriously, or so I'm told," Sarah said, sitting at her desk. "Guards will be instated after the coronation. I'm supposed to tell you to have a seat."

"It would be stupid to not have them," she admitted as she sat across the desk from Sarah. "It seems as though Cormac is finally whipping you into shape. But don't become all serious on me. That's my job. I'm the serious one."

Sarah shook her head at Kalin's comments. Perception is everything in the Court, and if Kalin wanted everyone outside her circle to view her as a hard ass, then so be it. Sarah could play along.

"Want to be serious? We can be serious," Sarah said as she slid a small stack of papers across the desk.

"What is this?" Kalin asked as she picked up the papers. "The courtship contract? But Taggert said you wished to keep the agreement quiet until after the coronation."

"I did," Sarah confirmed. "But I realize how unfair that was, for both of you. The idea that I was delaying your chance of happiness because I stressed isn't reasonable. This isn't about me."

"It is a little," Kalin shrugged as she thumbed through the pages. "This could change the look of the Court."

"Are either one of you planning to leave?" Sarah countered.

"Well, no…"

"Then I don't care, Kalin," she assured. "Maybe others will, but if they do, then those people have too much time on their hands. But if you find something you don't like, blame Cormac. I didn't draft it."

Contracts surrounding courtships were prominent among the Court's nobles and a near requirement for royalty. Mostly these occurred to prevent a quarrel to break out if something should go awry in the relationship. With vast amounts of wealth and an army, a disintegrating courtship could end up in tragedy if issues have not been agreed upon beforehand.

"Taggert already signed this," Kalin mused, looking over the last sheet.

Sarah laughed. "Yeah, he did. I sent word to him that was ready, and he showed up right away," she said. "For some odd reason, he likes you."

"Bizarre, is it not?" Kalin concurred, as she signed her name to the document. "Most men would have fled by now." That fact was something that she never brought up.

"Why have others left?" Sarah inquired.

"Now, now. Let's not be nosy," she chastised.

"Seriously? You ask a million questions about Jareth and me," Sarah said, taken aback.

"Yes, I know. I like to butt in on other people's affairs," Kalin said. "However, you should be above such things, soon to be Queen and all. You have to be better than me."

"Yeah, whatever," Sarah said as she rubbed her shoulder. "I'll get answers out of you soon."

"Sore?" Kalin wondered aloud. "Late nights with that wild fae must be back breaking work." She gave Sarah a wink

"You are so clever," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "Jareth is teaching me how to sword fight. Today was my first day."

"Oh, you're just now learning?" she asked. "You are very far behind."

"Have I mentioned how much I enjoy your cheerful disposition?" Sarah said with a mock smile. "Always reminding me about how many things I don't know.

"I was just stating the obvious," Kalin countered. "I have many teas that sooth sore muscles. I'll send some over first thing. Lydia will freak out if you are stilted during your coronation- which is only two days away by the way."

"No one needs to remind me," Sarah grumbled. "I'm very aware of that."

"Two days… why did Jareth start teaching you now?" Kalin inquired.

"What did I say about trying to understand his logic?" Sarah said.

"Good point," Kalin conceded as she stood up. Sarah rose as well, twisting her back to get out the kinks. "Oh yes, for certain, I'll be sending those teas over first thing in the morning if I can."

"Make sure they go straight to Lydia," Sarah stated. "There might be new people wandering around here. Lydia told me that potential ladies-in-waiting are coming soon."

"Look at that," Kalin chuckled. "We'll make a queen out of you yet."


	5. Chapter 5

_And I'd rather play here_  
_With all the madmen_  
_For I'm quite content they're all as sane as me_

* * *

 

"Oh god," Sarah moaned off to the side of her pillow. "That hurts so bad it feels good."

Jareth chuckled in response as he continued to rub small circles into the arch of her feet.

"Not that I'm complaining," she said. "But you can use magic to ease the pain. Although, after all that you put me through, I should be demanding this."

"Have you already forgotten that you already admitted to my generosity?" he said. Sarah dismissed his question with a snort. "Also, I'm never one to pass on giving you pleasure."

"Even if you're the one to cause the pain?" Sarah retorted.

"Cease your whining," Jareth answered. He tickled her toes in retaliation earning him a small kick to his lap. "It's just learning pains. Soon, you won't even feel it anymore."

"It's already been two days," she muttered. "If I walked down to the throne all stiff and sore, I'm sure Lydia will have your head."

Jareth noticed that Sarah's head rolled to the side, and her eyes fluttering close. He pinched the underside of her big toe.

"Ouch!" she yelled, bolting up, slapping him in the arm. "What the hell?"

"Stay awake," he said, returning to massaging her feet. "Who takes a nap less than an hour after waking up?"

"I don't know who does that, but they have an amazing life," Sarah mumbled, lying back down and throwing a pillow over her face. "I'm hungry."

"Thank you for the update on your stomach," Jareth said.

"Shut up and feed me," she whined while throwing the pillow off the bed.

"Bed or dining hall?" he chuckled.

"Dining hall. If I stay in here, I'll pass out," Sarah answered, wiggling her toes. "Nice massage skills."

"Are you really surprised?" Jareth said, helping her out of bed. "You know how good I am with my hands."

"You can never resist stroking your own ego," Sarah said, making her way to the closet.

"I know something else you can stroke," Jareth whispered as he grasped her waist and pulled her close to him.

"Note to self: no more Aboveground TV for you," she said. "One movie and you've turned into a walking cliché. It's been weeks since we've been up there, and you still remember that nonsense."

A knock on the chamber doors saved Sarah from anymore of Jareth's comments.

"Who is it?" Sarah called out, peeking out from closet.

"It's Lydia," she answered through the door. "I have breakfast ready for you in your study. Her Highness needs to review the potential new hires."

"I'll be out in a minute," Sarah said, grabbing a purple dress off the hanger. She turned to Jareth, who was giving her a curious glance. "I need ladies to wait, and Lydia said she had some people in mind."

"Hmm, interesting," Jareth said, spinning her around to fasten her dress

"That's it? No snarky remark?" she asked, turning her head to observe him.

Jareth finished the last of Sarah's clasps and turned her around to face him. "Ensure that you warn them about Lochlan."

* * *

Sarah sat behind her desk, reading over the paper that Lydia gave her.

"I'm sorry. You're the fourth one in here today, and I still don't know how to evaluate you or anyone really," Sarah said as her fingers ran through hair.

"Your Highness," Cormac chimed from the corner of the room. "A lady-in-waiting…"

"If you tell me the definition for that one more time," Sarah warned. "I'm going to send you back to the Goblin Kingdom to become Jareth's advisor, and I'm taking Avitus." Cormac was silenced immediately and returned to his note taking.

The elf sitting across from Sarah diverted her eyes, growing uncomfortable with the conversation at hand. She wore a plain brown dress that covered her knees and simple black slip-on shoes. Her thick wavy brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, exposing her wide, pointed ears.

"Ignore that," Sarah said, lifting the sheet of paper up. "So you are, um…"

"Tali. My name is Tali" she answered nervously. "Sorry, I shouldn't have interrupted Her Highness."

"Oh, please, don't do that," Sarah said. "I already have that one over there being overly proper with me, and Lydia does some of that herself. If you're going to be around me, helping me out, I can't have you doing that all the time. It will drive me crazy."

"I feel like this is a trap," Tali said, confused.

"It's not," Sarah assured her. "Look, in formal settings or when another royal is here, yeah, sure, it has to be done, but it just you and me here. So, please, call me Sarah."

"Also me, Your Highness," Cormac chimed in again. "I'm here."

"And Cormac is here. He doesn't count either," Sarah clarified, looking at the sheet of paper again. "Okay, let's start again. I'm Sarah; You're Tali. You were born in the Northwest province of the Goblin Kingdom in a village called _Stoneiron_? Well, that's a simple name for a town."

"My father was a mine worker there, but the town no longer exists," Tali explained. "When His Majesty stopped mining for iron, everyone in the town dispersed, found other work."

"Your father mined iron?" Sarah asked. Tali nodded in confirmation. "Oh so you're half-elf. I'm sure it says here somewhere. Lydia's penmanship is so small. Forget it." Sarah tossed the paper aside. "Your father is human, I presume?"

"Yes, well was," Tali stammered.

"Oh. I'm so sorry," Sarah said.

"It's okay," Tali said. "It was a while ago. I actually like talking about him, helps me remember."

"Where was he from?" she asked. "When did he come here?"

"The Arabian Peninsula," Tali responded. "And he came here not that long ago, at least compared to what everyone here in the Underground considers a long time. He never said when he arrived- didn't like talking about it."

"Did he find a veil?" Sarah asked.

"No, uh, he was wished away," Tali said. "By his mother. He was a weak child, sick from birth with club feet. She tried summoning a jinn and His Majesty appeared. She didn't run the Labyrinth. When he was taken here, His Majesty knew none of the noble in the Seelie Court would want a baby with such needs."

"But all it would take is a healer," Sarah said. "I don't know what problems your father had, but they couldn't be that serious."

"A healer did help, but it took a long time for some reason. I'm not quite sure," Tali said with a shrug. "After he was healed, a human couple from the Goblin Kingdom adopted him. He and my mother met when they were working in a bar together. He fancied her elf ears. He told me he was so happy to see that I inherited them. "

"What was his name?" Sarah asked.

"Rami. He passed almost fifty years ago, but my mother," Tali answered. "She lives in Oasis Steppes. She moved there only for the view. Her name is Rosaleen. She'll be thrilled if I'm able to work for you."

"You mean now that you get to work for me," Sarah said. "I hired the others that applied, but they will be helping Lydia. You have great stories, I can tell. Oh and you and the others will need a new wardrobe. Fittings will take places after we're done here."

"Are you serious?" Tali asked as she brought her hands up to her mouth. "Working in Murray's pub, I have a lot of stories to share if that's what you want. Seems like every night something would happen."

"What's that on your hands?" Sarah asked after noticing the strange markings on her hands.

"Oh, it's based on mehndi. You know, henna," she explained. "Normally, people Aboveground use henna, but I decided to make it permanent. I have no desire to go Above, but this way I'll always remember my father and his heritage. Will this be a problem?"

"Not a problem with me," Sarah shrugged. "Since you're half-elf, what's the range of your magical abilities?"

"I can perform magic and make crystals," Tali answered, forming a light blue orb in her hand. "They're not very powerful, of course. I'm not able to transform, but I can transport. Will I need to protect you? I think I'm the wrong person for the job."

"No, I have guards for that," Sarah assured her. "I was only being nosy. Now, about those stories."

* * *

Lochlan sat in his throne, alone, lost in thought when a knock on the throne room doors broke his concentration. He sat up straight, confused since he was not expecting anyone.

"Enter," he called out.

The doors opened to reveal Sarah, standing before him, but not entering the throne room.

"I said enter," Lochlan said as he stood from his chair.

"You know you're an adult, and this place is filthy, right?" Sarah asked as she walked into the room. This was the first time she had been to his castle. Kalin once told her how disgusting it was, and she was not lying.

"You call it filth; I call it character," he said, walking to her. "Everything and everyone doesn't have to be as polished and spotless as the Palace. Why are you here? And unaccompanied?"

"I'm not a child," Sarah retorted. "I can go places without Jareth." She handed Lochlan several pieces of paper with a list of names on it. "You see that? Those are the pages with all the people invited to the coronation whose names start with 'L'. Everyone has responded except for one."

"You felt the need to personally come here to chastise me," he said as he walked over to a side table, conjuring a decanter and two chalices. "Couldn't you have sent a minion or two?"

"Don't call them minions," Sarah scolded. "And if you are going to come up with a ridiculous excuse, I would like you to say it to my face."

Lochlan handed a chalice to Sarah and toasted before taking a large swig.

"I don't like parties," he shrugged.

"You love parties," she countered. "And there is going to be a huge one after the ceremony, and you know it."

"I have no use being there," Lochlan muttered before finishing his glass.

"What are you talking about?" Sarah questioned. "Don't be prideful, Lochlan, or whatever mood you're stuck in. I haven't seen you in weeks, but you had no problem being at the Palace back then. Everyone knows you were there."

"But that doesn't mean I should continue to be," he said. "Especially at a unifying event."

"That's exactly why you should be there," she countered.

"Do I look like a member of the Seelie Court?" Lochlan snapped.

"You look like your brother, except with black eyes and a shitty attitude," Sarah said, slamming her chalice on the table. "Whatever, Lochlan. Sit here, alone, in your disgusting castle, sheltering yourself from whoever you think is out to get you."

Sarah walked to the throne room door while Lochlan worried his hands over his face.

"Since you're not coming to the coronation," Sarah said, turning to face him. "Would you do me a favor?" Lochlan crossed his arm over his chest and gave a nod.

"Get over yourself."

* * *

"Come on!" Taggert yelled after he threw a centaur to the ground.

His hair was wild, and sweat covered his body as he and his closest confidants engaged in a bare knuckle sparing match. Another centaur wrapped his arm around the King of the Centaurs neck, briefly surprising him. His front legs kicked back to knock his opponent off balance as he reared his head back, breaking his opponent's nose. Taggert turned to his adversary, who ignored the blood pouring down his face.

The two centaurs breathed heavily as they stared each other down, giving each other a sly smile. The other centaur charged toward him, and he followed suit. They crashed into each other, locking their arms around the other's torso, trying to push the other off balance. However, Taggert freed one of his arm and swung, punching his opponent in the head. Catching him off guard, Taggert turned around and used his back legs to kick the centaur, hurling him to the edge of the sparring circle.

"Good morning, Devin," Kalin said, smiling down at the bruised and bleeding centaur at her feet. The recently defeated centaur turned over to gaze up at the long-haired fae beauty.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said with a smiling, displaying bloodied teeth.

"You have something right here," Kalin said, gesturing to her entire face. "Might want to clean that up." Taggert walked up and held out his arm to Devin.

"I think you should keep that look," Taggert says, helping up his general. "Shows how pliable your face is."

"Very funny," Devin muttered.

"Come here," Kalin said. She took a gentle hold of Devin's nose, setting it with magic. He let out a pained groan, but when she was done, it was good as new. Taggert previously told her that centaurs weren't the best when it came to healing magic. Apparently, her rudimentary healing skills were top notch compared to theirs. This wasn't the first centaur nose break she fixed, and it probably won't be her last.

"We're done here," Taggert called out to the others. "Go clean up!"

"Especially you," Kalin said to Devin.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm quite clear on the fact that I look like shit right now," he complained as he walked away.

"You just had to do this right before coronation rehearsals," Kalin said crossing her arms over her chest.

Taggert reached down to grab a towel, wiping off his face. "That's in an hour, and I have time to spare."

Kalin said nothing but gave him a disapproving glare. Taggert and his men did this every day. She couldn't understand why he didn't take one day off.

"Don't look at me like that," he said as he tried to grab her around the waist, but Kalin back up quickly out of his reach.

"Stay away from me," Kalin said. "You smell gross."

"It's only my musk," Taggert laughed.

"Your musk smells like dirt and BO," she said, pointing to the filth covering his chest. "Don't touch me until after you've bathed." Taggert slowly walked towards Kalin, but she continued to back away. "I'm not joking. Stop it." But he continued toward her, causing her to run into the middle of the sparing circle. "Leave me alone!"

Taggert reached out and grabbed her, halting her retreat. He held her close, despite Kalin's attempts to push him away, and spun her around to face him.

"Ugh! You're so odious!" she yelled. Taggert silenced her protest as his lips crashed against hers. Kalin temporary forgot why she was fighting as her lips competed with his for dominance as her hands ran through his damp hair. He grabbed her ass to hoist her up against his chest, tearing her dress at the side as her legs wrapped around his torso, resting on his back.

"Another dress ruined," she groaned, while his teeth teased her neck.

"I keep telling you to leave some clothes here, but you won't listen," he said, nipping her ear.

"If you promise they won't get destroyed, maybe I would," Kalin said, releasing her hold on him.

"I refuse to make promises that I can't keep," Taggert said. He returned her feet to the ground. At nearly seven feet tall, he ensured that he was careful with her, especially since being around centaurs made him a bit rough.

"Well, now I have to change," Kalin said, trying in vain to brush the muck off her dress. "And have I mentioned that you need to bathe?"

"Not since you were wrapped around me, moaning in my arms," he crooned with a smirk. Kalin gave him the best shove she could muster, which didn't budge him at all, nor did it wipe that smile off his face. She knew better; her pushes never did anything unless he played along.

"I'll see you at the Palace in an hour," she grumbled before disappearing.

* * *

Sarah barged into Jareth's office, disrupting his meeting with Avitus.

"Your brother sucks!" she yelled, her eyes flashing red before returning to their natural green.

"And the rain falls from the sky," Jareth said in bored tones. "There is no reason for you to be upset over common knowledge throughout the realms."

"Aren't you supposed to say something like, 'No Sarah, you're being too harsh on him'?" she asked. "You don't even know why I'm mad at him."

"It doesn't matter," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Lochlan will always be Lochlan. No one can change that; only him. I said I would work on my relationship with him; I never claimed we would always be happy with each other."

"What has Her Highness, soon to be Her Majesty, in a tizzy?" Avitus inquired.

"He says he's not coming to the coronation," Sarah muttered. "He doesn't want to come." Jareth let out a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"Avitus, give us a moment, would you," he said. The advisor stood up and walked toward the door, bowing to Sarah before he moved on to the door.

"If I may pass on some advice," Avitus said to Sarah. "I would advise that you don't give His Majesty's brother too much thought. All things considered, this isn't worth your worrying." With that, Avitus left Jareth and Sarah alone in the study.

"He's right," Jareth said, placing his feet on his desk. "Lochlan is not worth the hassle."

"Yes, he is," Sarah argued, taking the seat previously occupied by Avitus. "Why am I the only one who cares about this? Lydia told me to let it go also."

"Yet, you still won't listen," he sighed.

"Why should I just let this go?" she asked. "Lochlan acts as though he views the Palace as a disease that he must stay away from. I'm not my father. Things have changed-"

"And too much, too fast can be overwhelming to some," Jareth interrupted. "He isn't impervious to those feelings."

"Look at you," Sarah gestured to him. "You have your feet up, not caring. Is your idea of repairing your relationship with Lochlan simply ignoring him? Why aren't you surprised by this?"

"Because I already confronted him," Jareth said, placing his feet back on the floor. This revelation caught Sarah by surprise. "Lydia showed me that list," he explained, pointing to the paper in her hand. "She hoped I would rectify the situation before you found out."

Sarah slumped in the chair. "What did he tell you?"

"Probably the same nonsense he told you," Jareth said. "Please, let this go, Sarah."

"But…"

"Let it go," he cautioned. She said nothing, slumping further into the chair. "Such terrible posture for a royal," Jareth chided. "How did Lydia do on finding you help?"

"They're fabulous actually, and the only reason I was able to slip away. I hired all four that Lydia suggested. Three of them are basically going to be assisting her. Let me see if I can remember their names. Um…Britta, Wynnie, and Lynette, all fae. No wait. Scratch that. Britta is actually half fae- half elf. I have to remember that. She doesn't have the ears, but she's really proud of her elf side. I forget why. "

"All former employees of hers," Jareth said. "I believe Wynnie is married with a child or two."

"Wow," Sarah said, impressed. "Nice memory. She and her husband are going to live in the town instead."

"You said there were four," Jareth said. "Who's the fourth?"

"Her name is Tali," she said. "The others were great, but I can't have four people plus Lydia following me around all day. I'll do with one, two max. We got along the best. Do you know her? Her father's name was…"

"Rami," Jareth interrupted. He folded his hands together and looked to the side before regarding up at Sarah, a slightly upset look crossing his face. "His name was Rami."

"How many wished away kids do you remember?" Sarah asked.

"I remember all of them," he sighed. "Especially those like him."

"Why?"

"Because he should still be alive," Jareth answered, standing from his chair, moving to a side table that held a decanter of Elf wine. "He had a great life here, but, like others before him, he kept going Aboveground in order to help his people. Ended up dead, leaving behind a wife and small child."

"Tali didn't tell me all of that," Sarah said quietly, taking the offered glass from Jareth. "Only that he passed away."

"Then that's all I'll speak of the matter," he said, leaning against his desk. "I won't tell you any more of her story."

"Yeah. Sure, I wouldn't want you to anyway. But anyway, Tali is great," Sarah said, trying to change the mood of the conversation. "She'll be in charge of my outfits tomorrow. According to Lydia, that's super important. I guess it better be considering how much I had to stand on stupid pedestal."

"We can't have you running around naked for everyone to see," Jareth purred as he pulled her up from the chair. "That's only for me."

"Nothing is for you, unless I give it to you," she said as she walked away from him. Jareth couldn't resist a swift hit on her ass. Sarah's hand grabbed her backside and spun around to glare at a smirking Goblin King.

"Hey! That hurt," she complained. Jareth approached her, wrapping her in a sensual embrace, gently massaging her butt.

"That's the point," he snarled in her ear.

"I would say get a room, but you did, and I'm barging in anyway."

Sarah and Jareth turned to see Kalin standing at the threshold.

"I've delayed installing the barrier around the Labyrinth," Jareth muttered. "Thank you, Pixie Queen, for reminding me that I need to do that right away."

"I'm always willing to be a help, Jareth," Kalin said with a wink. "That's what everyone knows me for: being a helper. I'm such a helper that I've come to rescue our future Queen from your lecherous hands. And just in time too."

"You're timing is atrocious, Kalin," he said, glaring at her.

"Rehearsals?" Sarah asked.

"Rehearsals," Kalin confirmed.

* * *

"Argh! I'm tired of eating this nonsense," grumbled a young fae, sitting on a rock.

"Yeah. We haven't had a proper meal in weeks," second the fae sitting closer to the fire.

"It's not like we were the outdoors type before this," answered another fae, walking toward the campfire. "Eòran and Odhran, you two are free to leave, just like everyone else."

"Nah, forget it, Sawyer," Odhran said. "Have nowhere else to go."

Following the death of Oberon, as head of the royal guard, Sawyer was shocked that the entire Court fell in line and supported the future Queen's choice in partner. To Sawyer, Oberon was not the most endearing ruler, but, in his mind, the former king ran things smoothly for centuries. However, Sawyer knew his place; he was going to fulfill his duties under Princess Sarah as he did with Oberon. But he refused to serve in a Palace that had the Unseelie king freely walking about, interacting with his soon to be Queen.

After the Goblin King awoke to such praise and adulation, he left his post along with other guard members. Finding no sympathy among their fellow Seelies, they only found solace in several caves in the mountains with the few others that believed as they do. At the beginning, there were roughly three hundred who thought as he did, protesting by leaving the cities and villages. But as time went by, it became clear that their absence was not taken seriously. Soon, other left, returning to their homes. Now, there were only a few dozen holdouts left.

"Maybe we should go back home," Eòran muttered, poking the fire with a stick. "I doubt we can get our guard post back, but my father has a running mill. I can go do that or something."

"After all this time, you're going to go back?" Sawyer asked.

"Why not?" Eòran countered. "All we do is post flyers like madmen and write to the Goblin King that we don't really care for him."

"We did more than that," Odhran pointed out.

"Oh yeah, great plan, geniuses," Eòran said. "Threaten to commit regicide. That's a magnificent plan with no drawbacks."

"He cannot become King of the Seelies!" Sawyer yelled. "Our Court has a proud tradition, and he can't ruin it- he and his horrid brother. They are poising the mind of our Queen. She's been poisoned and lied to since she was a child. A witch as a governess? Oberon should have vetted her better. That _upthóg_ had no business being around the future ruler."

Eòran rolled his eyes. Not a day went by when Sawyer didn't vent and rage about this topic, but he could barely blame him. It was the reason why they were out here in the first place.

"I'm bored of this," Eòran said, standing up and brushing off his tattered trousers. "We're doing nothing out here. I'm willing to beg my father for a job- better than writing notes which are being ignored- like those were going to make him stay away from Princess Sarah."

"Wait," Sawyer said. "I have a plan."

 


	6. Chapter 6

_Oh she's a queen_

* * *

"Oh," Sarah gasped. "That's a little too tight."

"Sorry. So sorry," Tali said, readjusting the ties on the corset, finishing it with a bow. "Better?"

Sarah exhaled. "Much better."

"Very nice," Jareth purred from the doorway.

"Are you being serious? I'm in my underwear, and my hair is in these silly, giant rollers," she said, sitting on the edge of her vanity.

"You had me at 'underwear'," he said, entering the room. A muffled laugh from the corner drew Jareth attention to Sarah's new lady-in-waiting.

"Good to see you again, Tali," Jareth said.

"You as well, Your Majesty," she said, hanging a dress on the wall. "I have to get something from Lydia. I'll be back in a moment, Princess Sarah."

"What are you doing here?" Sarah asked once Tali left. "It's ridiculous for both of us be up this early."

"It's your big day," he said. "I'm not going to sleep through it. Also, I decided to be a part of the ceremony." Jareth, who had his hands behind his back the entire time, held out his right hand, presenting a circlet crown.

"You plan to join the other royals?" she asked, surprised by his gesture. "That's not necessary. You're not a member of the Court yet. You don't need to pledge loyalty to me."

"Yes, I do; I need to," Jareth said, approaching her. "My addition to the Court is only a day or two away, and it will foster goodwill." Sarah took his circlet and placed it on his head. The crown sat firmly against his forehead. Three sapphires decorated the crown, sitting firmly against his forehead: two smaller stones flanked a larger, centered stone. The band of the circlet disappeared around hair. The stones stood out against his white shirt and black dress coat.

"Look at how handsome you are," she said.

"As though this is different than any other day," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"When was the last time you wore this," Sarah asked, lightly tracing the stones with her finger.

"My own coronation," Jareth replied, removing the crown from his head, placing it on the vanity. "I never liked wearing it. This blasted thing gets in my way."

"Of doing what?" she asked. "Kicking goblins?"

"Exactly," he murmured as his hands traveled down her waist, feeling the silk of her corset. "Wearing something extra could throw off my balance. You should wear this more often." He placed soft kisses along shoulder, leaving goosebumps in his wake.

"Ugh. This thing is nightmare," Sarah complained as she was pushed against the vanity by Jareth. "Don't mess up my hair. Everyone will kill you." He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, bringing her lips to his. Jareth pried her legs open as Sarah's fingers latch onto his shirt, trying to bring him closer. As one hand stayed on her neck the other one crept up her leg, savoring the feel of her sheer leggings.

"Stop! You'll ruin everything."

Sarah and Jareth turned to see Lydia's panicked face with Tali behind her, averting her eyes.

"Three hours until you are crowned Queen, and I won't have you walking down to the throne with a red mark on your neck," she said.

"I wasn't thinking of doing that," Jareth hummed in Sarah's ear. "But, that sounds like a marvelous idea."

"We got caught, Goblin King," Sarah said, pushing him back. "Don't get in Lydia's way. She'll cut you."

"Especially today," Lydia said as she laid an elaborate dress against a chaise lounge. "I almost felt bad for yelling at those seamstresses. Don't know why they only finished it today."

"I'm surprised by the way you're acting that you haven't gone completely bald," Jareth smirked.

Lydia turned around saying nothing, but her eyes nearly left their sockets when she noticed the circlet on the vanity.

"Why'd you bring that?" Lydia asked, almost in a horror.

"Jareth decided he would take the pledge along with the other royals," Sarah said, trying to calm her down. "It's no big deal."

"It is a very big deal!" Lydia exclaimed. "The seating has to be rearranged! I'll be right back." She pointed to the lady-in-waiting. "Get Princess Sarah ready." She then pointed to Jareth but her eyes didn't leave Tali. "Keep _his_ hands off her."

"I should be irritated by the way she spoke to me," Jareth said after Lydia left. "But seeing her frantic gives me such joy."

"She's overreacting," Tali said, gathering up loose clothes off the floor. "Britta and Lynetta are already in the throne room. There's much for her to do."

"Lydia will return to normal after today," Sarah said, looking into the mirror, ensuring her rollers weren't out of place. Jareth stood behind Sarah, seizing her hips, drawing her close. She turned her head to the side, giving him a disbelieving stare.

"Really? There's someone here," she hissed.

Tali walked over to the pair and coughed loudly. "Excuse me," she said, grabbing Sarah and pulling her away from Jareth. "In an hour, hors d'oeuvres will be served in the main drawing room. Maybe His Majesty could spend some time there while we get ready."

Sarah released a loud laugh at the sight of Jareth's scowl.

"Go away," she said. "I have to get ready with no distractions, and don't forget your circlet."

"The next time I see you, you'll be crowned Queen," Jareth said quietly.

"Yeah," Sarah exhaled. "It's been a wild ride." She walked over to Jareth to give him a small kiss on his lips. "Thanks for taking it with me."

"You're welcome," he whispered before kissing her back. Their kissing continued until Tali cleared her throat. "All right, you tyrant," Jareth grumbled as he pointed an accusatory finger at the bossy lady-in-waiting. "I'll leave."

"Good for you," Sarah told Tali once Jareth left. "He doesn't take orders well."

"I was petrified," Tali admitted. "I was hoping you would help me if he got upset." She held out a slip for Sarah and helped her put it on.

"Of course, but he wouldn't have done anything to you," she said. "Jareth is like an overgrown child. He likes to see how much he can get away with."

"Isn't that just males in general?" Tali countered. Sarah turned around, smiling at her new friend.

"Smart observation," she confessed.

"Let's get you into this dress," Tali said as she held up the coronation dress. The gown sparkled with gold, silver, pearls, and opals embedded into the satin gown. The garment was gorgeous, yet Sarah couldn't get past how heavy it was to wear.

"All right," she said. "Let's do this." Tali used magic to help her place Sarah into the gown since she had no one else was there to help her.

"Oh god, this is heavier than I remember," Sarah admitted.

"I think they added more jewels to the dress," Tali said. "I'm pretty sure that's what Lydia said."

"My robe isn't on yet, and I'm already sweating," she complained.

"This may be true," Tali said, fastening Sarah into the gown. "But maybe your nerves are at play."

"I need to calm down, or I'll pass out walking to the throne," Sarah said.

* * *

"Just so you know," Lydia said, manically styling Sarah's hair. "It's raining hard outside. So, we are moving up the reception to after the coronation and pushing back your tour through Annwyn until this evening."

"Lydia," Sarah said as calmly as she could. "I mean this with all the love in the world, but I could give two shits about those details."

Sarah stood, staring at the large wooden doors to the throne room, anxiously waiting for her cue. The royals of the Seelie court, along with the procession of the Crown already occurred. So here she was, standing behind High Seer Finnean outfitted in his ceremonial attire, waiting for the clock to strike eleven. Seven faes stood in front of Finnean and Sarah, holding banners, displaying the coat of arms of the seven nations of the Seelie Court.

"If you touch my hair one more time," Sarah bit out. "I will stab you."

"Take deep breaths, Sarah," Finnean said, without turning around. "Plus, you don't want blood on your dress and robe."

"Oh, your robe!" Lydia exclaimed.

"I got it," Tali said when Lydia began to fluff out the ruby red robe that was fastened around Sarah's collar. "Everything is fine."

The clock bells rang out, signaling the new hour.

"Why are we not moving?" Sarah asked tersely.

The guards opened the door with the singing from a large choir ringing throughout the halls. Lydia and Tali gently lifted the back of Sarah's robe, waiting for her to walk. The banner carriers proceed down the central aisle, followed by the High Seer.

"Ready?" Lydia hissed as Sarah strolled to the threshold, awaiting the music cue.

"I can't wait for this to be over," she grumbled as she heard her cue, carefully walking toward the throne. She should have been nervous-the throne room was packed with over a thousand people-but she was so exhausted by the process of preparing for this coronation that she only wanted it to be over.

Sarah stepped up to the dais; when she approached the throne, she faced the crowd. Before her, cornered off in their own space, were the current Seelie rulers and Jareth, wearing their circlets, gazing up at her along with everyone else.

"Don't embarrass yourself, Sarah", she whispered to herself

* * *

As the nobles made their way into the Great Hall for the reception, Sarah, Lydia, and Tali were in an adjacent drawing room.

"Oh, gods, get this off me. It's so heavy," Sarah complained, holding her hair up so Lydia could finally release her from the tormented garment.

"Oh, shit," Tali muttered.

"Tali! Language!" Lydia chided, still working on the dress's buttons.

"Settle down, Lydia," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "What's wrong, Tali?"

"Since the reception was moved up," she explained. "I have the wrong dress. I'll be right back." Tali quickly ran out of the room, leaving Sarah and Lydia alone.

Tali had yet to learn the ins and out of the Palace-it was way too large. She still liked to walk the halls rather than transport there. She thanked the Fates that she was a fast walker. Tali made her way to the fourth floor of the East Wing where Sarah's chambers and dressing room were located. At such a frantic pace, she was not focused on where she was going.

"Damn it!" she yelled as she ran into a large, cloaked mass. "Watch where you're going." Various palace staff were running around everywhere. She's was tired of getting clipped in the shoulder by them. She looked up to notice that she was in front of the door to the dressing room.

"Normally when someone runs into a king," came the slightly annoyed voice. "They apologize instead of snapping back."

Tali lifted her head up to see the black eyes of the Unseelie King gazing down on her. She had never seen him up close, but his resemblance to Jareth told her all she need to know about him.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty," Tali said quickly, correcting herself. She reached for the door knob, but he was faster.

"You're new" Lochlan murmured, leaning against the door, blocking her way. "We haven't met yet."

"No, we haven't. I'm Tali," she said, holding out her hand. "Lady-in-waiting for Queen Sarah, and you are His Majesty Lochlan, King of the Unseelies."

" _Lady_ Tali," he purred, grabbing her hand and placing a kiss on her palm.

"Nice to meet you," she said, rolling her eyes. King or no king, she didn't have time for this. Tali seized her hand back and reached around him to go inside the room. "Excuse me. I'm a little bit busy right now."

She walked into the dressing room and saw the garment hanging across the wall in front of her. Lochlan moved in her path, blocking her way.

"I said 'excuse me'," Tali said, becoming annoyed. She tried to walk around him, yet he continued to intercept her.

"Why in a hurry, Little Bird?" he whispered as his nail slowly raked down her arm. However, his ministrations had no effect on her. Something that Lochlan wasn't use to.

"I have a job to do, and you are going to get me fired," she growled out, finally having enough of his stalling and shoving him off to the side. Lochlan grasped her around the waist, turned her around, and backed her into the wall. Tali expected to see anger in his eyes, but oddly enough, he seemed rather amused.

"Placing hands on a king. Very bold, Little Bird," Lochlan hummed in her ears.

"I'm not a _little bird_ ," she bit out. "Why are you here? Their Majesties aren't even here."

"Oops, my mistake," he whispered before placing a kiss behind her ear. Tali reared back as much as she could and slapped him in the face. Lochlan backed away from her, rubbing his cheek. Although she felt like running, Tali was frozen in her steps-mostly in fear. She never slapped anyone, except for those few bar fights she had to break up. Also, she couldn't leave until she got that dress, which was hanging right next to her.

"Feisty," Lochlan chuckled. "Very nice. You have a backbone."

"That, and I was warned about you, if you came around," she said, anxiously grabbing her dress, folding it over her arm.

"I should have known," he scoffed. "Ruining my fun. Well, not all of it."

"Why are you here?" Tali asked again. Lochlan created a crystal that transformed into a small black box.

"I know Sarah would have liked things different," he explained. "I hoped to give this to her as a sort of peace offering. But she's not here, and you are." Tali approached him, snatching the box from his hand.

"I'll be sure to give it to her," she said. "Like I said: I need to leave now." Tali walked to the door, surprised that he didn't follow. Tali opened the door and heard Lochlan approaching.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Little Bird," he whispered in her ear before disappearing.

Tali ran down the hallway, upset that she had wasted so much time.

"Hey, you're back," Sarah said, standing in her underclothes. "Part of me thought you quit."

"What took you so long?" Lydia said, taking the dress from her arms. "Her Majesty had to stop me from running after you."

"Ugh. Please don't call me that," Sarah rolled her eyes.

"It's what I call you now," she said as she helped the new Queen into her dress.

"Whatever," Sarah muttered. She looked over at Tali who was quietly placing the coronation gown on a hanger. "Hey, are you okay?"

Tali said nothing and continued her work.

"Hey!" Sarah said louder.

"Hm? What?" Tali answered, her crystal blue eyes going wide eyed.

"Is everything okay?" Sarah asked, more concerned than before.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied, looking up at Sarah giving her a reassuring smile. "Oh, here. I need to give you this." She held out the box and handed it to Sarah.

"Who gave this to you?" Sarah asked. She opened the box. Inside was a large ruby necklace flanked on either side by silver wings of a phoenix.

"Lochlan said something about this being an apology or something," Tali whispered.

"Oh? So you ran into him?" Sarah asked, raising an eyebrow. "How did that go?"

"Fine," she simply answered.

"Secrets, secrets are no fun unless you share them," Sarah joked.

"Um," Tali said, looking to the side. "The meeting was odd; he was a little bit forward."

Lydia let out a snort. "That's the nicest way anyone can describe that fae."

"Hm, that's very true," Sarah chuckled. "Did you like him?"

The question caught Tali off guard. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not stupid," she said. "The annoyed expression on your face coupled with a slight dazed look in your eyes proves that you like something about him. It's either him or Jareth, and it better not be Jareth."

Tali released a nervous laugh. "No. Definitely not Jareth, but you told me to stay away from Lochlan. Plus, he seems unstable."

"Yes, he's very unstable but not the 'do you harm' unstable, unless he's really mad at something," she clarified. "And I'm not your mom. I'm not into telling people who they can be with. I was only giving you a head's up."

"Why?"

Sarah placed the new necklace she received around her neck as Lydia placed a silver leaf circlet on Sarah's head.

"Listen, I have no intimate details of Lochlan, and I don't want to," Sarah said. "But from how he acts and how Jareth describes him…" She let out a sigh. "You're an adult, and as long as you do your job and don't bring any scandal to the Court, I'm fine with whatever you do. No matter what, make sure you stand up to him. He pretends as though he wants submission when he really likes strength. I think that's a family thing."

"But I never said that I liked him," Tali said, watching Sarah walk to the door.

"Doesn't really matter," she said, allowing Lydia to open the door. "If he's like his brother…ugh. Forget it. Maybe you should talk to your mom about this. I was never really good at giving people relationship advice."

"She still thinks I'm a virgin," Tali admitted, wringing her hands.

"Whelp, I guess you're not going to her," Sarah laughed. "If it feels good, do it- which is actually horrible advice, but it's all I got right now." With that last statement, Sarah and Lydia left Tali alone in the drawing room, left to clean up alone.

* * *

"You look absolutely fetching in that gown," Taggert whispered into Kalin's ear.

"I know," she said without turning around. "This dress is fabulous, isn't it? Those elves are geniuses when it comes to spinning fabric. Sarah said she didn't want to wear this fabric for her coronation. But I wasn't about to let this textile not be shown here today. This green is so lush, and the clover detail is just fabulous."

Taggert rolled his eyes. "I was referring to the body in the gown."

"I know," Kalin said as she spun around to face him, giving him a smile. "However, any little chance that I can talk fashion with you, I'll take it. I know how much you just _love_ talking about. By the way, you look handsome yourself."

Taggert was dressed in an ornate tunic with touches of red and purple which crossed over his chest and draped down his body. A large leather belt was slung across his midsection. His crown was made to look like a tree that circled his head with the thorny branches reaching up to mimic horns. His crown was definitely more aggressive than Kalin's dainty silver circlet that contained a solo pearl that sat in the middle of her forehead.

"I've been told I clean up well," he said.

She gazed down to see him holding two flutes of wine. "Brought me some libations?" Kalin asked as she took one of the glasses.

"I've been told it helps melt the Ice Queen," Taggert joked.

"Very funny," she said dryly. " _Her Majesty_ needs to arrive quickly. My feet are killing me, and I'm starving." Taggert reached out and grabbed Kalin around the waist, causing her to lean against his chest. "This isn't what I had in mind."

"But it came to my mind, and I get to kill two birds with one stone," he said. "Your feet are allowed a respite, and I get to have you as close to me as decency will allow."

"Barely," Kalin muttered, gazing the crowd to see if they were receiving any unwanted attention. "I'm not sure it would be appropriate for us to make a scene. Our courtship hasn't been announced yet."

"Ah, but it will be by tomorrow. Besides," Taggert said, spinning her around to face him. "Once Her Majesty arrives, everyone will be completely tossed with half an hour."

"I assume that she decided against a sit down dinner so she could watch everyone fall down, trying to get the canapés," she said. The thought of the nearly everyone in the Great Hall falling over each other due to the abundance of goblin ale caused Kalin to laugh uncontrollably.

"You really managed to crack yourself up," he said, shaking his head. "Come here." Taggert grasped Kalin's face and seized her lips with his own. He raked his fingers through her hair, careful not to disturb her circlet.

"Why don't you two wait until everyone is too inebriated to know what's going on?" Jareth said as he approached the couple. Kalin quickly pulled away from Taggert and gave Jareth a scowl. "If you can hold out for an hour, you can take this to a drawing room where no one can see you."

"Shut up, Jareth," she snapped.

"Thanks for the tip," Taggert said with a smile which made Kalin slap him in the stomach.

"Always here to help," he said with a wink.

"Where is Sarah anyway?" Kalin said.

"Do I look like Lydia? I have no idea," Jareth said, sipping a chalice of goblin ale.

Suddenly, the sound of horns filled the air, silencing the muttering of the crowd. Jareth, Taggert, and Kalin were standing near the doors which sat atop a small staircase that was lined by the trumpeters. High Seer Finnean slipped through the door and stared out into the crowd, ensuring that everyone stayed quiet.

"Subjects of the Seelie Court," Finnean cried. "I present to you the newly crown sovereign, Her Majesty, Queen Sarah of the Seelies." The doors opened to reveal a barely noticeably apprehensive Sarah. The attendants erupted into cheers, startling her.

"Please don't let me fall," Sarah whispered to Finnean as he helped her down the steps.

"No need to worry," he said as he escorted her over to the coronation throne that flanked the wall.

"This is going to be weird and awkward," she said.

"Anything with this many people will be awkward," Finnean said. "Keep this in mind: a slow nod goes a long way." Sarah chuckled while carefully sitting in the high backed chair flanked by two guards.

"Please find me some alcohol," she said, seeing the line of well-wishers forming, waiting to approach her.

* * *

"How long before she loses her mind?" Taggert asked as he grabbed another flute from a server passing around drinks.

"Who says she hasn't? She has the veneer of someone who is not about to have a mental breakdown," Kalin pointed out.

"She'll be fine," Jareth said. "Sarah can handle a throng of groveling nobles trying to get into her good graces."

Taggert snorted. "Worked with Oberon. I doubt it will work with Sarah, but you can't blame these people for trying."

"Oh, food! Finally!" Kalin exclaimed out of nowhere. She bypassed several guest to grab the server, dragging him over to where Jareth and Taggert were standing.

"Hungry?" Jareth asked, reaching for the hors d'oeuvres.

"I demand you bring me more of these!" Kalin called out to the retreating server with the empty tray. "I don't think he heard me over the crowd."

"I'm sure there will be more chances for you to find food," Taggert said.

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered. "So, Jareth, how much of this spectacle are you going to participate in? Joining her in the carriage through Annwyn?"

"I care for Sarah very much, but not enough to go through that," Jareth admitted. "I'd rather have a needle in my eye than participate in that level of pageantry."

* * *

"How do you feel, Your Majesty?" Tali asked. At Sarah's disapproving look, Tali amended her words. "I mean Sarah."

"I'm so hungry, and I have too much alcohol in my system," Sarah answered.

"Do you want to lie down for a moment?"

"No. This is insanity is almost over," she said. "Plus, the sun is beginning to go down. We need to go through Annwyn before the sky goes completely dark." Tali finished fastening up Sarah's purple. Sarah fiddled with her sleeves since they fell to her fingertips. "Almost finished?"

"Just a moment," Tali said, opening a medium sized wooden box. "Must have the right circlet." She placed a jade circlet atop Sarah's head and then stored the other one, along with the gifted necklace.

"Of course," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "These things are very important." Tali walked to the door and opened for the newly minted Queen. "Where is Lydia?"

Tali looked around the room, just now noticing that Lydia wasn't there. "I don't know. Kitchens? I think her, Muiriol, and Avitus went there to help expedite things or something."

"Sounds good to me," she shrugged before grabbing Tali's arm. "Let's go."

* * *

The crowds outside the Palace erupted when the open carriage carrying Sarah left the castle grounds, making its way through the streets.

"This is a lot of people," Sarah muttered through her giant smile, waving at throngs.

"There's bound to be more at Mab's Square," Tali said. "Don't worry. There are guards everyone. No one is going to trample you."

"I don't think they're going to trample me," she admitted. "I can't believe they're here."

As they approached the square, Sarah saw that the area was overflowing with people, only leaving enough space for her to walk.

"Stop the carriage," she called out to the driver.

"What are you doing?" Tali asked as the horses came to a stop.

"I'm going to say hello," Sarah said. A guard rushed over to help her out of the carriage.

"Could you at least wait until we got to the square?" Tali complained as she followed suit.

"The entrance is like ten feet away," Sarah pointed out, her words barely discernible over the cheering. "Plus I'll get extra 'We love the Queen' votes for this." Tali chuckled as she bent down to straighten Sarah's train.

Nearly an hour passed before Sarah made her way into the square, ensuring she greeted everyone she could. Tali had the dreadful task of gathering the flowers and tokens gifted to Sarah by her subjects. They walked a few feet in the square before the clanging sounds of metal hitting the pavement rang out. Smoke began to fill the air, and almost half the crowd began coughing, while the other half seemed concerned with the odd occurrence. Sarah felt fine and looked around to notice that the fae and elf guards were okay as well, but the human guards were doubled over needing assistance from their fellow guardsmen. Sarah looked up to see a large sign draped over the wall over the square that wasn't there before. It read: "Down With The Half-Breed Blight." A small volley of coughs from Tali caught her attention.

"Hey? Are you okay?" Sarah shouted.

Before Tali could answer, a bright orange light emanated from a far corner of the square. Sarah was knocked to the ground before the sound of the blast hit her ears. She was quickly pulled up by a guard who dragged her back to the carriage. Turning toward the area of the blast, she noticed that people were lying across the ground, a few of them appearing as though they were in pain. The guards were directing people who were able to move away to safety. Sarah turned around to see Tali was helped up by another guard, following close behind.

"What is going on?" Sarah demanded.

"We need to get you out of her now!" he said. When the guard that was holding Tali arrived, they all transported back to the Palace along with the carriage, appearing in the Palace courtyard. A few seconds later several guards helping their comrades appeared as well. With the fresh air around her, Tali finally gathered her bearings and able to stand unassisted.

"I'll ask again. What happened?" Sarah asked. A lame guard let out a strangled cough.

"Some sort of gas," one guard answered. "It affected the humans only." Sarah looked over to Tali.

"And anyone with human blood," she added. "Someone bring me Rowena."

"I should get you inside," the guard who helped her said.

"What's your name?" Sarah asked.

"Seamus, Your Majesty," he answered.

"Seamus, bring me Rowena. Now!" she ordered. "Take the injured with you to the infirmary."

All but two of the guards left.

"Are you okay?" Tali and Sarah asked each other. Sarah let out an annoyed grunt.

"I'm not the one who started coughing," Sarah said. "Are you sure you're fine? Not feeling weird or anything?"

"No. I promise," Tali sighed. "I'm really okay."

"Your Majesty, what's going on?" Rowena called out as she walked to the Sarah.

"There are probably already healers there, but I need you and any additional healers you have to go to Mab's Square and help anyone you can," Sarah ordered. "Tell me what happened as soon as you find out."

"Of course, Your Majesty," she said before returning to the Palace.

Jareth rushed passed Rowena with Avitus, Muiriol, and Lydia behind him. He seized Sarah in a massive embrace.

"I'm not sure what just happened," Sarah said, preempting his question, clutching his back.

"It was a bunch of nuts, that's what it was," Tali said, receiving a hug from Lydia.

"What do you mean?" Jareth asked, releasing Sarah but still keeping her close.

"I saw a sign that said something about half-breeds," Tali replied. "I think that's what it said. Did you see it, Sarah?"

"Yeah, 'Down with the Half-breed blight'," Sarah said, raking her hands through her hair. "Jareth, I think someone thought you would be there."

"Sire, maybe you should…" Avitus muttered.

"Not now, Avitus," Jareth warned, sending his advisor a threatening glare.

"Maybe you should what?" Sarah asked, genuinely confused.

Avitus and Jareth said nothing.

"Did you know about this?" Sarah accused.

"Of course not!" Jareth quickly responded.

"His Majesty has been receiving death threats for the past month or so," Avitus said. Jareth turned to face his advisor, his fist clenched at his side. "I'm sorry, Sire. But she needed to know."

"Yes, she does need to know," Sarah snapped, grabbing Jareth and spinning around to face her. "What is wrong with you? How could you keep this from me?"

Before Jareth could answer, Rowena appeared with three guards flanking her.

"Your Majesty, it was merely smoke bombs that were set off, nothing serious," Rowena said. "Silver pellets coated in a fine layer of iron are what brought a few people down. Not enough to kill anyone or even seriously hurt them. Anyone who was affected has only a few burns. As odd as this sounds, I don't think whoever did this wanted to anyone killed."

"You need to get inside now," Lydia chimed in.

"Whoever did this can't get past the Palace security," Sarah reasoned.

"Please, don't fight me on this, Your Majesty," Rowena said. "Please, go inside."

* * *

Sarah, Jareth, and the three guards rushed into her office. One of the guards walked over to the windows to place a barrier up.

"There are guards stationed along this side of the palace," one of the guards said. "We'll be stationed outside until we hear from Garrison."

"Head of Palace security yes? Very well," Sarah said, still gathering herself together. She began pacing back and forth, while Jareth leaned against the wall.

"Sarah, stop walking," he said.

"Don't tell me to stop doing anything!" she snapped. "You knew about this, and you didn't tell me? How could you!"

Jareth sighed as he approached her, grabbing her by the shoulders to stop her walking. "I didn't want you to know this. The stress…"

"News flash, Jareth," she sneered, pulling his hands off her. "My whole life until the day I decide to go to the Fade will be stressful. I have handlers, and you're not one of them."

"I was only trying to help…"

"Who were you helping?" Sarah asked. "If you haven't noticed, you were the target of the attacks. Not me."

"Then let me worry about," Jareth said through clenched teeth.

"You're joking, right? No, you don't get to operate in the shadows anymore," she said. "Nothing affects just you anymore. You don't get to decide what information you keep to yourself."

"These are threats against me," he argued. "It's my kingdom; I decide."

"Stop being so selfish, Jareth!" Sarah yelled. "You don't have an heir. _We_ don't have an heir. What would happen to everything if whoever did this was actually out for blood? You're lucky no one died today."

Jareth said nothing as Sarah spun away from him, walking to the window. She saw multiple guards out in the gardens as well as posted against the wall.

"Oh, shit," Sarah moaned, as her face cupped her cheeks.

"What?" he asked.

"Doesn't matter to you," she said flippantly, facing him. "Has nothing to do with your kingdom. Not your problem, right?"

Sarah attempted to walk passed him, but he stopped her. "What. Is. It?"

" I don't know how much care people take in their relationship, but I can assume Kalin and Taggert will be potential to be targets," she explained. "They need to be put on alert as well."

"You said you weren't going to sign the contract." Jareth said.

"Yeah, I wasn't, but I thought their happiness superseded my workload," Sarah explained. "And if I had been told that these psychos were so bold as to threaten a sitting king and harm innocent bystanders, I wouldn't have signed it due to their lives being in danger."

"Then revoke it," he said.

"I can't!" Sarah cried out. "My signature makes everything public. It's already in the public record. It will be put on display tomorrow. And even if it wasn't, no one could deny that their courting based on that grope-fest they exhibited during the gala. If these radicals hate me being with someone who is part Unseelie, they might lose their minds knowing that centaur is courting a noble fae. Now, let me go."

Before Sarah made it to the door, Jareth said, "If you are asking me to apologize, I won't be sorry for trying to protect you." Sarah marched up to Jareth.

"Your job is not to protect me. I have guards for that," she growled. "My job is to safeguard those under me and that includes you. Your job is to tell me about anything that threatens my people. You be sure to do that." Sarah walked toward the door.

"Are you threatening me, Precious?" Jareth called out.

"Two days from now, you will officially fall under Seelie Court jurisdiction," Sarah said calmly. "Today, you just pledged loyalty to me. I'm ordering you to inform me of any known threat that crosses your path. Any disregard of that mandate will be considered a rebellion against the Crown. _That_ is a threat."


	7. Chapter 7

_And I will swallow my pride  
You're the one that I love_

* * *

"Sire, my sincerest apologies…"

"Silence, Avitus!" Jareth commanded. He burst into his office, nearly slamming the door in his advisor's face. Jareth walked over to his desk. He paused for moment, glaring at the papers covering the surface. In a fit of rage, he swept his hand over the table top, knocking everything to the ground. He gripped the edge of his desk, breathing heavily, staring at the ground.

"If you wish to terminate my position or charge me with a crime," Avitus quietly said. "But I said what needed to be said. Much more harm could have occurred today because of our silence. If you would have been there, who knows what those miscreants would have done. I don't regret anything."

"I want those that did this found," Jareth growled, lifting his head to stare at Avitus. "Start a kingdom-wide search for them. Bounty is ten thousand pieces of gold."

"Your Majesty, maybe we should discuss some sort of plan," he said.

Jareth marched over to Avitus, seizing him by the lapels. "Start the search," he hissed. "Bring them to me alive."

* * *

 

The camp was loud and ruckus, with a few dozen fae drinking mugs of stolen Elf wine. Eòran sat on a large rock, a few feet from the site, barely touching his mug of wine.

"Why so glum?" Sawyer asked as he grasped the fae's shoulder. "Today was a success."

Eòran looked up at him. "You're joking, right? Our target wasn't even there. All we did was panic everyone and place our Queen in danger."

"What a foolish thing to say," Sawyer responded. "You know as well as me that Palace guards are more than equipped to keep her safe, and panic is necessary to open people's eyes to what is happening."

"Almost half the crowd was human. I'm sure there were some half-breeds there as well," Eòran countered. "Do you really think they would be receptive to that message?"

"But our message isn't for them, is it?" Sawyer said. "Why are you even complaining? All you've been doing lately is sulking by the fire."

Eòran stood up from the boulder and walked away. "Just leave me alone."

* * *

 

"Another request for an audience from His Majesty," Cormac said, handing a piece of paper to Sarah.

"Which one? There are several kings in the Court," she stated as she took the note but placed on the farthest reaches of her desk.

"You know which one, Sarah," Tali said. "It's been four days since you spoke to him. He's been sending formal requests for three. Don't feign stupidity."

"I'm not _feigning_ anything," Sarah snapped. "All right. Maybe a little."

"Everything on your calendar has been put on hold for the time being," Cormac stated. "If you need some time off…"

"No," Sarah interrupted. "I'm not going to run off when things are this way."

"Your subjects are peaceful; everything is back to normal."

"No, they're not," Sarah said. "Everything only seems normal, but we all know there is a lunatic out there, most likely a group of them. Maybe that's all they have planned: an obnoxious, slightly violent, protest. Or maybe they have something more planned."

"Yet sitting here worrying about it won't help anything," Tali muttered. "There's a Court wide search for these people. We just got word that from the Unseelie King- he has joined in the search as well. Ignoring His Majesty won't make things better."

"Okay, fine," Sarah sighed as she stood from her chair. "I just don't feel like talking to him. I know it sounds petty, and I don't care. I'm already dealing with Muiriol leaving; I'm not ready to deal with him yet."

Two days ago, Muiriol approached Sarah, telling her that she would be retiring from her duties. Lochlan's deal with Muiriol when she decided to spy for him was a large sum of gold and a cottage on Unseelie lands. She believed it was time for her to make good on their agreement.

" _Besides, you clearly don't need a governess anymore", Muiriol said._

Suddenly, a guard entered the room. "Queen Kalin of the Pixie Kingdom requests an audience."

"Bring her in," Sarah said, sitting back down. "You two are dismissed. Inform me on any news you hear from the search."

"Jareth will keep sending requests until you agree to one," Tali said, walking to the door with Cormac.

"Then use those pieces of paper to make an origami project or something," she said, annoyed.

Kalin entered the room as the other two were leaving.

"Well, by the looks of those two," she said walking to a chair across from Sarah. "You must have had a nice chitchat with them."

"What do you want, Kalin?" Sarah muttered.

"Still in a shitty mood, I see," she stated. Sarah said nothing, looking to the side as she ignored Kalin's observation.

Kalin let out sigh. "Don't be upset, but I promised I would do this." She handed a sealed note to Sarah who noticed that the seal was Jareth's. Sarah tossed it to the side, along with his other letters and notes.

"Jareth told me that he was afraid you would do that. He must be desperate, came to castle and everything," Kalin revealed. "If you are trying to punish him, you're going about this the wrong way. Chains and whips work better. He might like it, but you would be getting your anger out in a more effective way."

"I'm not punishing him," she said. "I'm ignoring him for his own good. If I see his face, I'll probably punch it."

"Fair enough," Kalin shrugged.

"What? Not on his side?"

"No, I'm not; I only promised to deliver the message," she said. "That's as far as I care to go with this."

"How's he doing?" Sarah asked.

"Looks like shit," Kalin answered. "If he's slept since the coronation, he doesn't look it. How are you feeling? Besides magnificently pissed."

"I'm not _pissed_ ," Sarah countered. "I'm… I don't know. I'm exhausted, that's for sure. But overall I'm okay."

"I heard if bonded couples spend too much time away from each other that they become physically ill," Kalin said. "Are you sure you're fine? I'm not a fan of lying."

Sarah worried her forehead with her hands. "I'm not lying. I said I was overall okay," she clarified. "My entire body has this dull ache throughout it. It started last night, but I've felt worse in the past."

"You are stubborn," Kalin chuckled, shaking her head. "But that's why I like you."

"Would you be okay if Taggert did something like this?" Sarah rebutted.

"I already told you: whips and chains, which will probably be happening soon," she said, standing up from the chair. "I'm all about holding grudges and righteous anger. But don't cause yourself pain over it."

"What do you mean by 'happening soon'?" She asked, confused. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Paradise doesn't exist here. If anyone is looking for that, they need to move on to the Fade and leave the rest of us alone. And you know what? Everyone gets centaurs wrong," Kalin said, agitation rising within her. "They're not reckless. They're over thinkers who tread lightly despite their overgrown physique."

Sarah was taken aback. Kalin never spoke of Taggert this way. "Uh, sure, yeah, I guess."

Kalin took a deep breathed and exhaled. "I'm fine," she reassured Sarah. "Well, I'm not, but I will be."

At Sarah's confused and alarmed look, Kalin sat back down in her chair, clasping her hands together. "Ever since the attack in the square, he refuses to visit me at my castle or allow me at his," she explained. "Taggert says for my safety we should meet at his secret place. I told him that I was too old to play hide and seek and for him to come visit me once he grows a backbone and some balls. I haven't seen him in two days."

Sarah covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. "Wow."

"I assume it takes a while for those to grow," Kalin smirked.

* * *

Lieutenant Bryce stood anxiously in front of the throne room doors. His king hadn't been in the best of moods the last few days. Unfortunately, he had to be the one to talk to Jareth. Bryce mustered as much confidence as he could and knocked on the door.

"Enter!"

Jareth had been in no mood to deal with the inane merriment of the goblins that normally inhabited his throne room. For the past few days, the throne room had been empty, containing no one but him. He was stunned when Sarah told him to leave the Palace. Although after thinking it through, he believed that she needed a little space, maybe a day to calm down. But after Sarah refused to see him, he found himself alone, battling the demons that tried to cloud his brain. Jareth always hated being alone, but being alone now was even worse now than it was before. The physical coupled with the emotional pain that developed in Sarah's absence wasn't making anything easier.

When Jareth saw his lieutenant walk through the door, he was a little surprised, mostly because he hadn't seen anyone these last few days. Avitus was being smart and kept far away from him during this time.

"What do you want?" Jareth said, sitting in his throne, not really paying attention to the human in front of him.

"Nealon and I," Bryce nervously swallowed. "We believe we found someone in connection with the blast. Found him wandering in the Goblin Forest on southernmost border."

Jareth was snapped out of his miserable mindset. "Is he talking?" he asked as he stood from his seat.

"Not yet," Bryce answered. "Actually, we haven't had time to question him. Nealon is placing him in the castle's dungeon now." Jareth immediately disappeared from view.

"I hate it when people disappear on me," Bryce grumbled as he ran to the dungeon.

Jareth appeared in the dungeon as Nealon locked the prisoner in a large cell.

"Your Majesty," Nealon said, startled. "I assume Bryce has already spoken to you."

"Yes," Jareth hissed, staring at prisoner. "Tie him up to the ceiling."

"I promise you that these iron chains will hold him," Nealon said. Bryce suddenly came down the stairs and stopped just behind Jareth.

"Tie him up and leave us," Jareth growled. "Did anyone else help you two find him?"

"No, just us," Bryce answered as Nealon opened the door for him. Bryce released the prisoner from the wall he was chained to. Nealon brought in a small step ladder as Bryce chained the prisoner to the ceiling; his feet hovered a few feet off the ground.

"Find Avitus. Tell him to give you two the reward," Jareth stated, still eyeing the prisoner. However, Bryce and Nealon didn't move. "Now!"

The two left leaving Jareth alone with the struggling prisoner, hanging from the ceiling.

"What's your name?" Jareth asked calmly. He swung the cell door open and walked away toward the dungeon entrance.

"I have nothing to say to you," he muttered as he noticed Jareth grab two items off the wall but wasn't able to recognize what they were.

"How interesting that now you have nothing to say." Jareth said, approaching the cell. The captive said nothing.

Jareth placed the stool under the handing man's feet, easing the stress of the chains against his wrists. He began circling the prisoner. "Do you prefer notes? Attaching them to trees? Alarming my people?"

Without warning, a wooden cane hit the back of the prisoner's knees, causing him to cry out in pain. His legs briefly left the stool before quickly returning only to have the cane hit him again this time in the ankles.

"Now, let's try this again," Jareth said, facing him. "What's your name?"

"Eòran," he growled out. "My name is Eòran." Suddenly, Jareth swung a tails of a whip at his abdomen, making him gasp for air as blood ran down his stomach.

"Obviously, you have forgotten," Jareth snarled. "I am king here, and you are in my castle. It would do you well to treat me with respect."

* * *

"I suggest you hold court in the middle of the week," Cormac said as he stood before the dais. "Things could pile up if you wait until the end of the week."

"Okay. That makes sense," Sarah said, sitting on the throne. "We should keep the system that's has been in place. I don't have any better ideas, and I don't feel like setting up another. Will you need help with the incoming complaints?"

"Yes, actually," he admitted. "I know there is a backlog already."

"Have Wynnie help you," she said. "This will be a nice steady project she can work on without having to worry about odd hours. She'll appreciate that."

"I'll ask her," Cormac said. "I know I mentioned it earlier today, but Your Majesty should really consider taking a few days off, get some rest. Maybe Aboveground…"

"Please just go, Cormac," Sarah said with her head in her hands.

He took a deep bow and then walked out the main doors, leaving Sarah alone with only the sentries guarding the doors.

"Shit, I'm so tired," she mumbled to herself. One of the doors to the throne room burst open with a distraught looking guard holding his arms against the threshold.

"What the hell?" Sarah asked, standing from her throne.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," he called out, trying to keep someone or something that Sarah couldn't see out. "We tried to stop him, but he wouldn't obey us. We didn't think you would want us harming him."

"As if you could!" Came the hostile voice behind him.

_Jareth_

"Let him through," Sarah sighed, collapsing back down in her throne. The guard was pushed out of the way by a gloved hand. Jareth marched into the room, dragging behind him a semi-conscious fae. "What the hell?"

"You weren't returning my letters. So, I thought I would show up making a statement," Jareth said as he threw the shackled and shirtless fae to the floor in front of the dais. "You know I love making an entrance."

Sarah walked down the dais, shocked at Jareth's appearance. Kalin was right. He looked as though he hadn't slept in days, looking more exhausted than furious, but Kalin didn't mention the blood covering him. The prisoner made a slight turn toward her, and she noticed how bloodied he was. His trousers were tattered, and he had a torrent of lash marks, some superficial while others were deep, covering his body, along with dirt and dark bruises. His mouth was busted open and one of his eyes was closed shut due to swelling. Clearly, the blood on Jareth was not his own.

"Holy shit, Jareth!" Sarah yelled. "What did you do to him?"

"He'll be fine," he said, kicking the fae in the side, causing him to groan in pain.

"Don't do that," she ordered. "What the hell is happening here?

"I never meant it to be like this, Your Majesty," he struggled to say.

"You sound familiar," Sarah wondered aloud. "Who are you?"

"Eòran, Your Majesty," he answered.

"You were one of the guards who brought me back here," she said, kneeling down next to him. Jareth attempted to grab her arm to pull her away, but she slapped him away instead. "Leave me alone."

"That was me," Eòran whispered, pain lacing his words. "I've made an enormous mistake."

* * *

"Have the guards not been sending you my gifts, Little Bird, or do you merely not care for them?" Lochlan asked.

Tali looked over her shoulder, her long hair blocking most of her view, but she could still see the Unseelie king approaching.

"You should keep your voice down," she whispered. "This is a library after all."

"There's no one in here!" he yelled, holding out his arms and spinning around.

"Shh!" Tali hissed. "What is wrong with you? Were you dropped on your head as a child?"

"Quite possibly," he shrugged. Lochlan walked around the table to sit across from her. "What _is_ wrong is an exceptionally lovely half-elf seems to have spurned my advances for several days. I believe that's a record."

"A record? Really?" she asked, suspiciously. "How long has anyone said no to you?

"They haven't. I am king after all," he said with a smirk. "And, I'm not one to send gifts." Tali couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"Well, continue counting," she said, returning to her book. "Because I'm not interested in whatever it is you're trying to do. How did you know I'm a half-elf anyway?"

"You're magic isn't Unseelie therefore the skin tone you possess came from a human rather than a dark elf. You're not very good at being serene, more indication of a human background. Also, you're on the short side for an elf and not so svelte, rather nice and curvaceous actually."

Lochlan was right. She was terrible at being serene, evident by the fact that she decided to hold her book open, perpendicular to the table, attempting to block his view of her.

"Does my Little Bird prefer shiny objects to flowers?" Lochlan inquired, stroking his chin with his long nails in contemplation. "Diamonds? Turquoise? Gold would look fabulous on you."

"I don't want any of your stuff," Tali spat, her blue eyes flared in irritation, peaking up through the top of the book. "And, I'm not your anything, especially a _little bird_. Are you calling me that because of my ears?"

Lochlan leaned back in his chair and gave her a wide, toothy grin.

"Why do you insist on making fun of my ears?" she asked, annoyance lacing her words. "Bad enough I was teased in school. Now, it's being carried over into my adult life. For your information, I do realize that they are larger than a normal elf's ears; you're not telling me anything new."

All elves have pointed ears, even half-elves, but most had their ears pointed straight up and usually able to conceal them if they had long hair. Tali was never able to do that. Growing up, many of her peers called them bat ears. Her mother lovingly referred to them butterfly ear, hoping that her daughter would embrace her difference. Tali had finally grown to accept them, but that doesn't mean she was okay with others making fun of them.

"I have no intentions of turning your ears into a joke," Lochlan clarified. "I simply fancy them, along with the face that they are attached to."

Tali's cheeks flushed bright read. "Don't you have more important things to worry about?" She asked, attempting to read her book again. "Like helping to catch whoever was behind that explosion."

"It's called delegating," he said. "It would be absurd for me to be the one to look under every rock and crevice, now wouldn't it?"

"You don't seem too concerned," she muttered under her breath.

"Someone threatened my brother, harmed the innocent subjects of my, for all intents and purposes, sister, and nearly injured the striking half-elf in front of me," Lochlan said, all the humor leaving his face. "Whoever did this best pray that Sarah finds them, she has a forgiving heart, which is a dreadful thing to possess. Because if I'm the one who find them, they'll be hanged, disemboweled, beheaded, and quartered by me, personally- their parts sent to their families as souvenirs."

Tali, unable to not gape at him as he spoke, finally took a small gulp. "That's intense," she whispered.

"I'm intense," Lochlan countered with a lopsided smile.

She quickly closed her book and stood up to leave. Her arm was snatched by Lochlan before she could leave.

"This is a nice, little cat and mouse game we're playing, pet," he purred. "But one day, you'll be tired of running."

* * *

"How many more are out there?" Sarah asked, using a napkin to wipe away some fresh blood away that threatened to roll into his eyes.

"Twenty, maybe thirty," Eòran answered, receiving help from a guard to sit up. "Everyone is being held together by Sawyer. We all would have walked away weeks ago if it wasn't for him."

"Who's Sawyer?" Jareth asked, standing behind Sarah.

"He was one of the head guards under Oberon," she said. "You would have known that if you spent more time talking to him than beating him." Jareth grunted in frustration as he began pacing.

"Why did you leave?" Sarah asked the former guard.

"Things were going too far. I helped write the notes and the letters, but I didn't help the attack in the square. I swear," he explained in earnest. "I just wanted to go back home. I was on my way there. I guess I got lost. I was caught by _his_ men."

"His Majesty," she corrected.

"His Majesty's men," Eòran grudgingly amended.

Sarah lowered her head, pondering over the thoughts in her head.

"We should continue the search for the rest of them," Jareth suggested. "And hold a public trial for this one."

"No, I'm not going to do that," she said, finally standing up, and turned to face Jareth. " _Now_ is the time to keep secrets." Sarah turned back to Eòran. "If you help us, I promise that you won't be charged with treason."

Eòran nodded as enthusiastically as he could.

"Sarah…" Jareth whispered.

"I didn't say I would let him go. Only that he won't be killed," she explained, curtly. "They don't know what he's told us. We publicly call off searching for them. Let them think that we believe Eòran was behind all of this. Everything goes back to normal in their eyes."

"What good is that?" he asked.

"We can stop wasting time and energy looking for them," Sarah said. "Draw them out with their false sense of security and capture them that way." She looked to the two guards holding Eòran up. "Take him to the dungeon, ensure he receives his own cell away from the others, and send a healer to him." She gave Jareth a disapproving glare. "He certainly needs one."

The guards helped Eòran to his feet and escorted him out through the side doors. From behind her, Sarah could sense that Jareth was about to say something.

"I don't want to talk here," she said, walking to the main doors. "We'll speak in my office." Jareth kept quiet, following close behind.

The doors to Sarah's office opened to reveal Cormac and Wynnie reviewing a few letter piles of requests.

"Please leave us for a moment," Sarah muttered. "Or a while. Just stay away for the rest of the day."

Noting the disheveled appearance of the Goblin King and the annoyed look on Sarah's face, Cormac and Wynnie quickly gathered their belongings, gave a swift bow, and ran out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

She walked over to her desk and sat on the table top, staring at the floor, taking a deep breath, but not saying anything.

"Has your contempt for me grown so much that you refuse to speak me?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and standing by the door. "Even as I stand before you."

"I don't hate you, Jareth," Sarah sighed, finally looking at him. "And I never could if I tried."

"Yet you can barely bring yourself to look at me," he sneered.

"Because I don't know what to say!" she exclaimed. "No. That's not true. I have a lot of things to say, and none of them are pleasant."

"I'd rather you speak ill of me than to ignore me, treat me as irrelevant," Jareth admitted.

"I'm the one who was being treated as irrelevant," Sarah countered. "You did that the moment you decided to withhold information for me. It's not just me being nosy, Jareth. I had a right to know."

"How many times must I tell you that I didn't want you to worry," he said.

"That such a bullshit excuse," she scoffed. "Would you be okay with that explanation if someone was sending me threats, and I told Cormac to not tell you?"

Jareth said nothing, but his face twisted in fury, although he attempted to mask it by worrying his brows with his gloved hands.

"By the look on your face, the answer is no," Sarah said as she hopped off her desk to wandered over to the windows behind her desk. "You'd be raising holy hell in this place to everyone, even the poor cleaning staff, thinking even they were keeping secrets from you."

Sarah looked out of one of the windows, seeing the guards patrolling the grounds.

"I can't decide what is more insulting: just flat out not telling me," she said. "Or believing me so fragile that I might faint. Never mind. I've decided that the latter is worse…or the former. Both suck actually."

Jareth walked toward her. "Sarah…"

"That's how you view me, isn't it?" she asked. "Weak, in need of saving. I refuse to be a porcelain doll, trapped behind glass for no other purpose than to make you feel better. It may have been a lucky shot, but I'm the one that killed Oberon, not you, not your brother. Me."

"Yet, you never should have been in that position. I only want to see you happy," he said, stepping toward her, but she backed up. "I can't bear to see you troubled."

"Stop it. Stop doing that," Sarah ordered, holding her hands up. "I had a father. He sucked, and I've moved on. I don't need a paternal figure. I need someone by my side; I need a partner. And if you would rather act like my parent, then we need to find a way to reverse a bond because I can't do this. I refuse to be treated like this."

"Please don't push me away," he pleaded, seizing her by the arms. "You don't mean that." Although he was disheveled before, he appeared completely forlorn and desperate now.

"I'm not the one pushing away," she muttered, tears forming in her eyes. "You are. You began pushing me away the moment you decided that you weren't going to treat me like the adult that I am, like the Queen that I am." Jareth bowed his head, still holding firming to Sarah. "I promise that I am stronger than you think I am."

"I don't see you as frail or weak," he said in hushed tones. Jareth held Sarah by the face, caressing her cheeks. "I care for you… I love you more than words can express. Please… you must know this."

"It's not…"

Jareth placed one of his thumbs over her lips to silence her. "You must believe me that I was only trying to help. I was wrong. I realize that now. If I ever thought that I would bring you so much pain…"

Sarah reached up to grab him around the neck, pulling him in a hug as he wrapped his arms around her torso.

"You are so frustrating, Jareth," she said, trying in vain to hold back her tears. Jareth pulled her closer, burying his face in her neck.

"I know," he sighed. Without warning, he transported them to the garden, to the hedge bushes portion of the garden to be exact. Sarah released her hold around his neck and looked around her. She hadn't been to this part of the Palace gardens since before she was sent Above.

"Why are we here?" she asked. Jareth moved to the side to allow her a view of a bench. Realization dawned on her as he grabbed her hand, leading her to the stone seating. He sat down, bringing her with him. He gripped her left hand, holding it tight encased in his gloved hands.

"Do remember the day we said goodbye before you went Aboveground?" Jareth asked.

"Yeah," Sarah laughed lightly. "Because you made me remember."

"For centuries, I moved about my life almost unconsciously," he said, staring out into the bushes. "My duty was to keep my people safe, and that's what I did, by keeping us in isolation. Whether this was a byproduct or something I really wanted, I kept myself isolated as well. No one wanted to deal with me; therefore, I didn't want to deal with them."

"In case, you've forgotten," Sarah reminded. "You already told me this."

"I told you that I was afraid that you would never come back," Jareth confessed, disregarding whether or not he already told her this information. "That I cared about you. But it wasn't until I heard that you were leaving, that I realized… I was falling in love with you, something I never thought I would experience. And ever since you came back…I never wanted to lose you again- because I know how difficult it is to have and even harder to maintain. That's what was going through my mind. Not that you are weak, but that I need you."

"I wouldn't just leave you," she whispered. "Why would you think that?"

"At one point, it was just you and I. Having so many people around…"he countered. Sarah released a small snort, then a light chuckle, before she couldn't hold herself back from a full throated laugh. "I knew it was only a matter of time before this madness overcame you," Jareth muttered.

Sarah's hands carefully wiped the tears away before they fell.

"Shut up," she said, still laughing. "Gods, we would have saved ourselves so much trouble if we… you're afraid that I'm going to leave you, and I'm afraid that you are going to leave me. And we both don't recognize that we are tormenting ourselves by not talking to each other."

Jareth sat next to her, listening to her speak with an air of amusement in her voice. But he couldn't find any enjoyment in this.

"Why the hell would you believe I would leave you?" he asked, turning to face her. Suddenly, awareness dawned on him. "Is that what you saw in the Labyrinth? Why would you even think that?"

"Yes, it was," Sarah confessed. "And I assumed, rightly, that you would simply tell me it wasn't true. So I decided not to think too much of it. You're fearful that I would have no use for you in my new position, and I was scared that you would leave me over all of this." She gestured to everything around her. "I didn't want you to regret upending your life for me."

"No, no, no," Jareth said as he extended his arm out to draw her to him, holding her close. Sarah reached around to grasp his back, refusing to let go as tears threatened to fall again. "You turn my world upside down, and I wouldn't change a thing," he whispered into her ear.

Sarah brought her hand up to gently stroke his face as she placed a small kiss on his lips. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, causing him to moan. She reached down to pull Jareth's shirt from his trousers and then snaked a hand up his chest to tease his nipples. Jareth attempted to push Sarah on her back, but she shoved him back in his seat, climbing on top of him to straddle his waist. His hands snaked up her sides, reveling in holding her again. When he reached her breasts, his hands were magically brought down to the sides of his legs, restraining him.

"What are you doing?" he snarled in frustration.

Sarah didn't use any complicated magic, and he could easily break through the spell, but his curiosity caused him to stay still. Sarah said nothing while her kisses trailed down his neck to his shoulder. She brushed her fingers against his lower stomach near his cock before she splayed her hand over his covered shaft. Jareth squirmed in anticipation as Sarah's hands move to the back of the bench. Even though he still had his trousers on, he could feel her damp undergarments as she began to grind against.

"Sarah…"

She silenced any complaining he may have with an earnest, sensual kiss, holding his lower neck to keep in place as she rode him faster. With a moan, she grasped his shoulders tightly, both panting as they stared into each other's eyes. The pleasure was building within both of them, but Jareth wanted- no- needed more.

"Sarah," Jareth said in a harsh rasp. Her eyes then fluttered and then closed tight as she found her release. She bit his shoulder hard, trying to muffle her scream as Jareth let out a cry of sheer bliss. When Sarah finally came down from her climax, she quickly jumped off Jareth, back away from him as a self-satisfying grin formed on her face.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, infuriation dripping from every word. Sarah looked down to see that a sizable bulge was sticking out of his trousers. As she started to chuckle, an unamused Jareth released his hands and stood from the bench.

"We're not done," he snarled, trying to grab her arm, but she tugged it away.

"You may not be, but I am," Sarah stated as she ran her fingers through her hair. "That felt good; I need that. A simple apology and flowery words won't dig you out of this hole you created. I expect a lot of groveling for the next few days. Or weeks. Whenever I feel like not being angry with you. I'll be at your castle later tonight. Don't disappoint me."

Disappearing from view, Sarah left a very frustrated, and tense, Goblin King in her wake.


	8. Chapter 8

_Every day I spend my time_  
_Drinkin' wine, feelin' fine_  
_Waitin' here to find the sign_  
_That I can understand_

* * *

 

Kalin sat alone in her plush blue and silver lined throne, staring off the side to one of the many stained glass murals of pixies in a flower garden. The main door to her throne room opened. At first glanced, it would appear as though no one actually came in, but the Queen of the Pixies knew better.

“What is it, Cristel?” she asked as the tiny pixie dressed in a ruffled dress approached. The long haired, green skinned pixie hovered a few feet in front of her Queen’s face, before give a mid-air curtsey.

“His Majesty, King Taggert, is here to see you,” Cristel answered.

“Ugh,” she said, irritated. “How can you want something and not want something at the same time?”

“Is that one of your rhetorical questions or would you like me to actually answer that?”

“No,” Kalin said with a small, dismissing wave. “Bring him in.”

Cristel spun around and flew back to the door. When it opened again, Taggert was the one who walked in.

“Long time, no see,” Kalin smirked.

“That’s the greeting I get?” he asked, disappointed in her tone.

“It’s the one you deserve,” she answered.

Taggert crossed his arms over his chest, and his mouth formed a frown. “Stop being childish,” he said.

“Me? I’m the one who wants to have a grown-up relationship,” Kalin countered. “Instead of playing hide and seek, like some adolescent boob.”

“Wanting to keep us concealed from those insane ruffians is being a _grown-up_ ,” Taggert refuted. He was trying to keep his wits about him, but Kalin had a particular skill for getting under his skin, in both a good and bad way.

“Have you gone mad?” Kalin hissed as she stood up from her throne. “Do you realize what you’re doing? You are giving way too much credence to these idiots. You are giving them the power that they want. You are doing _exactly_ what they want you to do.”

“If they came after you…”

“You know what? No more of this,” Kalin said, descending the dais. “I care about you. I would hate for anything to happen to you. However, I will not play this game. Either you are going to be with me or you are not, but I refuse to hide in order to appease some craziest who may or may not care about us!”

Taggert grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a slight shake. “Now is not the time to be prideful. Don’t be so irrational!”

“I am not irrational,” she spat, unlatching his hands from her. “I need to go.” Kalin walked around him toward the doors.

“Where are you going?” he called out.

“Why would I tell you that?” Kalin yelled without turning around. “We can’t be seen together, now can we?”

* * *

 

“Get on your hands and knees,” Lochlan roughly ordered.

Her arms trembled slightly as she did as she was told and crawled to the floor atop a large fur rug, positioning herself on all fours facing a cold fireplace. Since it was early in the morning, the sun barely broke through the heavy curtains that were obscuring the windows. Her cheeks flushed and her dark brown hair tumbled in disarray around her naked shoulders and breast, concealing her pointed elf ears.

She heard the soft padding of his bare feet as Lochlan moved behind her, a wall of shadows outlined by the faint light from the outside. Without warning, he brought his hand down on the cheek of her ass in a slight tap. She gasped in surprised and raise her hips, craving more of his rough touch. He gripped her hips tightly and wedged his knees between hers, pushing outward.

“Spread your legs wider.”

She drew a ragged breath and eased her knees farther apart. His warm hands smoothed gently over her lower back, over the curves of her backside in an almost reverent way. One strong hand wrapped around her hip, holding her steady as the blunt head of his cock grazed her inner thigh. Her legs began to tremble with anticipation.

Lochlan’s breathing was harsh as he leaned over her, the bite of his long finger nails into her flesh, telling how great his own need was. Finally he settled the wide head of his cock at the opening of her sex. She lost the ability to thing as she closed her eyes, allowing her to revel in every single sensation.

A hand tangled in her hair and tugged sharply. The dominant massage of the gesture mingled with the bite of pain, flooding her with sensual heat. His fingers stayed locked in her hair with a firm grip, holding her right where he wanted her. The blunt head of his erection pressed more firmly against her wet opening. She moaned softly, rocking back, trying to force him deeper, but Lochlan refused to release her hair. She groaned in frustration and attempted to buck her hips, but he held her fast.

“No, you’ll take it slow,” he bit out. “Slow and steady until I’m buried deep inside you.”

When he was fully embedded, he delicately grazed the edge of her clit with the pads of his fingers. She breathed heavily and her skin was slick with perspiration, every muscle taut under the strain. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she forced her body to relax and surrender.

With one hand clasped in her hair, Lochlan placed the other between her shoulder blades. Exerting gentle pressure, he forced her upper body to the rug. Fighting back the need to pound into her, he spent a few minutes stroking her hair and peppering tender kisses over her back and the side of her face. Lochlan grasped her hip with one hand and began a slow, sensuous rhythm. His other hand slid down her hair, over her shoulder to dip around and tease the soft skin of her stomach. Her hips lifted in response, taking him deeper, her trembling thighs parting wider.

Lochlan’s jaw clenched at the proof of her eagerness. He could feel the muscles of her pussy flutter around him; the catch in her breathing informing him that she was right on the edge. Grazing his sharp teeth across her shoulder, he nipped where it joined her neck. A little more pressure against her clit and her plaintive moaning turned into a wail. Lochlan threaded his free hand into her hair again, holding tight to anchor her into place. The move rendered her powerless against his strength. He pressed his fingers against her clit, giving her the pressure she craved. Her clit twitched between his fingers. Her inner walls tightened. Her shriek of ecstasy morphed into a sobbing scream. The tenuous hold of his control began to fray at the wild sounds she made. With a strangled roar, Lochlan let himself go.

“Oh gods! Tali!”

He slammed into her from behind, his hips slapping against her ass while she bucked into his grip. The pleasure licked across his skin as he exploded. Pulse after agonizing pulse ripped through him, leaving him exhausted and trembling. When he finally opened his eyes, he gazed down at where his cock was still buried inside her willing body. His hands were clamped so tight around her hips that he knew he’d leave marks, even though they would be temporary. Lochlan gently withdrew from her warmth and stroked a soothing hand over her back before he stood up and talked to the opposite side of the room.

Without him supporting her, she collapsed on to her belly. After a few moments, she saw her crumpled dress on the floor out of the corner of her eye. She sat up, smoothed her hair out with magic, and quickly put her dress back on.

“Drink?” Lochlan asked, standing naked next to a table holding a decanter.

Her black eyes fixed on him, giving him a small smile as she shook her head.

“No, thank you, Sire,” she answered demurely. Wringing her hands, she wasn’t quite sure how to proceed. She had never been with someone of such status. “Umm…”

Lochlan moved to the side, displaying the small fabric bag filled with gold coins.

Releasing a grateful sigh, she approached the table, grabbing the bag and tucking it into a pocket in her dress. She made her way to his chamber’s door, but before walking out, she turned to face. Lochlan raised a questioning brow in response to her hesitation.

“Um, I wanted to remind His Majesty that my name is Fenella,” the dark elf said. “Not Tali. For future reference, if you should need my services again.”

Fenella gave him a curtsy before opening the door and walking out, leaving him alone in his chambers.

Lochlan stared at the floor where the fur rug was located, his hand tightening around his chalice. A disgusted scowl crossed his face. In a fit of rage, he threw the vessel on the wooden floor, spilling wine across the rug.

* * *

 

“Look who’s back,” Tali said as she stood up from her chair and turned toward the door. Sarah rolled her eyes as she walked into officer. It was times like these when she wished she had sunglasses. She really hated the glare of the morning sun. Cormac shot to his feet from sitting on the floor after searching for a reference book.

“Yeah. Yeah,” Sarah muttered, making her way to her chair. When she finally reached it, Sarah nearly collapsed. She still wasn’t used to these early mornings, especially after receiving little sleep due to Jareth’s apology marathon.

“I assume everything is now going well since you spent the night at His Majesty’s castle,” Tali said sitting back down. “Or he’s dead.”

“The former. Although, the latter could have easily happened if he decided to not take my threats seriously,” Sarah said, trying not to chuckle.

“Feeling better?” Cormac asked. “I still believe Her Majesty should take a few days off.”

“About that,” Sarah said. “Have you made the announcement that we caught the perpetrator?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Cormac answered. Sarah gave him her best set of side eyes. She really hates it when anyone calls her that. “Everyone’s mood across the Court has been lifted by the good news. The searches have been called off. Also, Eòran has been talking. Apparently, this Sawyer fellow was shooting off other ideas before our prisoner left. These places could be possible targets.”

“All right. Very good,” Sarah said. “What are these ideas he had?”

“They involve random acts of mischief whenever you begin your planned tour of the various kingdoms of the Court,” he explained. “But these were just random ideas since no one knew how you were planning the tour. Eòran thinks Sawyer is too fearful to try anything bolder than that. He believes, as do I, that Sawyer will only do the bare minimum to keep people with him, nothing more.”

“Well, we don’t have that luxury,” she muttered. “To be able to think like that.”

“You should announce the tour, and it should take place soon,” Tali added.

“Why do you say that?” Sarah asked.

“You can take those who were searching for these guys and place them in specific areas,” Tali clarified. “Since where you are going will be made public. So…”

“So, we can catch them without these lunatics even know that they were being watched,” Sarah added.

“And if your security catches them quietly, this Sawyer will probably think that his people are sloppy, not that we know anything,” Cormac said.

“I don’t know about that,” Sarah said, rubbing her eyes. “He was a former head guard. He’s not completely stupid.”

Cormac shrugged. “Nothing wrong with a little hopeful thinking.”

“That is true,” Sarah admitted. “All right, Cormac. You have your marching orders. I’ll head Aboveground later today, probably tonight. Avitus told you how to get there in case of an emergency, correct?”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Cormac said with a bow before he left the room.

Sarah leaned back in her chair, slowly slumping, ignoring how bad it was for her back.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Tali asked, concerned lacing her voice. “You’ve been troubled for the last few days. It’s kinda crazy that you and Jareth are okay again.”

“We’ll always be okay,” Sarah said as her eyes slowly opened and closed, trying to fight off fatigue. “As long as we both decide that we’re going to be okay, we’ll find our way back to each other. Sometimes there are detours that he _fucking_ causes.”

Tali let out a small laugh. “I was about to say that you sounded way too tranquil about this. He must have made up for it big time.”

“Jareth knows he’s still in the dog house. Got me a shiny new necklace,” she said as she gestured to the pearl drop necklace around her neck.

“Very pretty,” Tali said. “I never took you for the materialistic type.”

“I’m not,” Sarah shrugged. “But if he offers it, I’ll take it. Don’t see a reason not to, especially since I’m still irritated at him.”

“I doubt that’s much of hardship for His Majesty,” she said. “He seems to like giving you gifts.”

Sarah’s eyes abruptly opened wide and sparkled with mischief. “Speaking of which, I heard there’s someone out there who is willing to give you all the gold.” At Tali’s horrified expression, Sarah burst into laughter.

“How’d you find out?” Tali questioned.

“A brownie told me on my way here,” Sarah said in a matter of fact tone. “They’re the ones who work in the library. You’re never really alone in there.”

“Are they spreading gossip about me?” Tali hissed, worry marring her features. Sarah was having trouble holding back more laughter.

“No, I promise,” Sarah said, snickering a little. “I don’t think anyone else knows about the incident, not even Cormac. The brownie only came to me because he was terrified of Lochlan and wanted to make sure that you’re okay.”

Tali slumped in the chair in relief. “All I have is my reputation, and I don’t want it ruined.”

“Is that why you keep refusing his gifts?” Sarah asked. Tali gave her an incredulous look. “It’s my Palace, and security is at high alert. You think that I wouldn’t find out?”

“I didn’t really think about what you would find out,” Tali mumbled as she wrung her hands. Sarah let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t make light of his actions. This probably makes you very uncomfortable,” Sarah acknowledged. “I’m used to Lochlan’s antics. I can tell him to stop. Not going to give you false expectations- I don’t know if that will work. He’ll probably become sneakier.”

“I’m not sure what I should do,” Tali confessed.

“I can handle this for you,” Sarah said, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen. “I’ll tell him you’re not interested. I’ll threaten to hug him a lot; I’ll be super serious in my letter and everything.”

“But I am. I think. Maybe.”

“Excuse me?” Sarah asked, dropping her pen.

“He’s peculiarly charming but truly annoying,” Tali described. “He’s a jerk, but a loveable jerk.”

“Yeah, that’s him,” Sarah agreed. “So, why are we describing him? What do you want me to do?”

“Nothing,” she assured her. She clutched her hands together keeping them in her lap, hoping Sarah didn’t notice her demeanor. “I can handle it. You said so yourself, right?”

“I said he was harmless. Never said anything about being able to handle yourself,” Sarah smirked. “Nothing against you- I’m not sure anyone can handle him.”

“You do well with Jareth,” she countered.

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Hardly, as you can attest from the past few days. He’s a handful as well.”

“I’m warming up to him, and I have a feeling he’s not going to stop bothering me,” Tali confessed. “But, I just…I just don’t want to be anyone’s… whore. If he’s thinks he can treat me that way…”

“Listen, Lochlan is eccentric. Yeah- Let’s go with that,” Sarah interrupted, trying to clean her desk while she spoke. “I’ve been told that he has harems. But, Jareth told me that. Being said, Jareth barely spoke him for a millennium or two. And if he has a throng of females, why is he bothering you?”

Tali didn’t answer, only shrugging her shoulders in confusion.

“Lochlan’s braggadocios and makes fun of our relationship because he makes fun of everything until he decides that he wants to be serious,” Sarah said, content with the mostly clean desk. She folded her hands while leaning against the desk, staring Tali directly in the eyes. “Although they have a strange relationship, he loves his brother; he loved his mother very much; and I know he cares about me, even if he acts like a jackass. He’s able to care. However, why he has decided to pester you, I have no idea.”

“So that’s your long way saying that he’s a simple fae,” Tali muttered sarcastically.

“Yeah, that’s him. Very simple,” Sarah said as she stood up. “I need to get ready to go Above. You can have the time off unless Cormac needs you.”

“You know, I don’t know how to get to your place Aboveground,” Tali noted.

“Expecting an emergency?” she asked.

* * *

 

Avitus approached Jareth’s office, the first time he had been summoned in days. He’s been keeping a low profile since he spoke out against his king’s orders. In fact, he had heard nothing of the captured fae until a messenger arrived at an isolated tavern informing him that he has been summoned to the castle. Avitus has been dreading this meeting with Jareth.

“Enter,” Jareth called out before Avitus could knock on the door.

Avitus warily opened the door, stepped in, and closed the door behind him. He looked up to see Jareth staring out the window, seemingly ignoring him. Avitus thought that he should try to repair any sort of relationship, hoping to spare himself any dungeon time.

Avitus cleared his throat. “Your Majesty…”

Jareth slowly raised a hand to quiet his advisor. Avitus silenced himself immediately and refusing to walk further into the room.

“I have been a wreck, for lack of a better word, these last few days,” Jareth said while still gazing out one of the windows. “My bond with Sarah was nearly broken, she refused to speak to me for days, and I hadn’t slept in that amount of time.”

“Sire, I…”

“I’m not finished,” Jareth said, turning to face his advisor. “I made a mistake and had to accept my responsibility for it. My apologies, Avitus, for putting you in such a position.”

Avitus stood, still by the door, shocked by what he just heard. “I went against your orders, You Majesty. You have no reason to apologize.”

“You were doing your job,” Jareth countered. “And when I refused to see the inherent danger of everything that was happening, you refused to allow my wants to override what you knew to be right. That is the purpose for an advisor, is it not?”

Avitus let out a breath that he hadn’t realized that he was holding and noticed that his king was holding out his hand. He walked toward Jareth and took a hold of his hand, giving it a firm shake.

“Still want this job?” Jareth asked with a smile.

“Someone has to keep you in check,” Avitus said with a smile. “If anything, I’ll add the job description of softening any blows that may come your way from Her Majesty.”

“I will guarantee that will be a full-time job,” Jareth chuckled, walking over to his desk, albeit slowly as noted by his advisor.

“Or maybe it’s not,” Avitus said, sitting in the chair across from the desk. “Appears that you are in high spirits. Her Majesty must not have been too hard on you.”

“She is brutal,” Jareth admitted, sifting through the desk drawers. “Just the way I like it.”

“Is that why you are walking with a slight limp? Never mind. Please, spare me the details,” Avitus groaned as he placed his head in his hand.

Jareth finally sat down in his chair as he pulled out a piece of paper.

“I’ll visit the healer shortly,” he said, dipping a pen quill into the ink jar. “But no need to worry, I refuse to kiss and tell. Judging by the way she acted this morning, I’m still in trouble.”

“And what is this for?” Avitus asked.

“I assume you were told about the fae that was captured,” Jareth said, still writing.

“Yes,” the advisor said with a nod. “This is fantastic news.”

“Well, he’s not alone, but we need the others to think we believe that he was acting along,” Jareth explained. “Talk to Nealon and Bryce and gather about a hundred people from their ranks, ensuring that at least half of them are human.”

“For what purpose?”

“In a day or two, an announcement will be made regarding the Sarah’s tour of the Court,” he said as he dripped melting wax on an envelope. “We’re going to need spies in the area, and I doubt they know anyone from my kingdom.” Jareth pressed a king into the wax before handing the letter to Avitus. “Whoever is chosen needs to take that letter to Garrison, who is head of Palace security.”

“You do not wish to oversee this?” Avitus asked.

“I don’t need to be involved in such trivial things,” Jareth stated. “Besides, I’ll be gone for a few days.”

“Going Above?”

“Yes, finally,” he sighed. “I need to get away from here for a moment. _We_ need to get away. Ensure you tell no on about this.”

“I’ll be sure to keep this under wraps,” Avitus nodded.

* * *

 

Tali slipped her feet into her one of her many pair of new slippers, straightening one of the many new dresses she now had, intent on showing it off, ensuring there were no wrinkles. She checked her room one more time before she opened the door to leave. Not looking, she turned left and ran into a solid body. She gazed up at Lochlan as he looked down, giving her a lopsided smile.

Dressed in black trousers with a matching black long sleeved shirt and allowing his long blond hair to fall on his shoulders, he cut a menacing figure to everyone he passed on his way to see her.

“I think Sarah is getting ready to go Aboveground,” Tali stated, backing up. “Besides she wouldn’t be in the servants’ quarters anyway.”

“I didn’t come here for her,” Lochlan said, closing the gap between them. “I came here for you.”

“That’s a shame because I’m a little busy,” she said, attempting to move around him, but he caught her around the waist.

“Ah, my Little Bird,” he purred. “You haven’t even heard my proposition.”

“What did I say about calling me little bird? And, I don’t need to hear your proposition,” Tali said. “I’ll be gone for part of the afternoon.”

“But not all,” Lochlan pointed out. “Where are you going?”

He reached out and tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ears. Tali looked to the side, attempting to shield her face from him. This tender act seemed out of place for the Unseelie King’s personality. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head, not allowing his actions to affect her. She looked down at his hand still wrapped around her waist. Much to his chagrin, she removed his hand from her side.

“To visit my mother,” she answered.

“Do you always carry around small amounts of gold when visiting?” he asked as he cocked his head to the side.

Tali realized that he must have felt inside the satchel she had slung around her shoulder when he grabbed her. The last thing she wanted was anyone thinking she was engaging in any sort of illicit activity.

“It’s silver, actually. And if you must know, I help my mother out now,” she explained. “I got a nice raise working here compared to a bar. I don’t want her to have to work anymore.”

“She’s very lucky to have a thoughtful daughter like you,” Lochlan said quietly. Tali was genuinely surprised by the sincerity in his voice.

“Um, sure. I guess. She’s all I have and vice versa. So, yeah, I should be going,” she said, trying again to pass him, but this time he walked in the middle of her path. Tali glared up him as she took several steps back, displaying her displeasure of his actions. “I’ll never be able to visit her if you don’t let me pass.”

“Here,” Lochlan held out his hand and a medium sized pouch appeared. “Take this.”

“What is that?”

“Gold,” he explained, extending his arm to her. “You shouldn’t have to use your meager salary.”

Tali examined the bag in his hand and then gave him a suspicious glare.

“My salary is not meager,” she informed him. “And, I’m not taking anything from you.”

“Do you enjoy saying no to me?” Lochlan asked, revealing his exasperation in his voice.

“Now, that I think about it,” Tali considered, smiling at him. “Yeah, a little bit.”

Lochlan was nearly taken aback by the smile she gave him. She may be mocking him, but he wanted nothing more than to make her smile more. He could easily tolerate any teasing she threw his way.

“This is only a gift,” he said, more adamant, almost pleading for her to take his assistance. “No expectations for repayment.”

Tali looked at the bag again and then at Lochlan, considering his offer. She was thrown for a loop that he wanted to simply give her money with no expectation on being compensated in any way. Lochlan was many things, something she learned in the short time that she was around him, but a liar wasn’t one of them.

“Thank you. I mean that. I really do,” she sighed, her appearance softening toward him. “I’m the one to take care of my mother, not you. I can’t accept your gift. But, that’s very sweet of you. I appreciate it. Please excuse me”

Tali walked passed Lochlan, this time without an issue. He turned, watching her walk away from him, down the hall.

“She thinks I’m sweet,” Lochlan muttered to himself with a self-satisfying smile.

* * *

 

Jareth carefully placed a large candle inside a glass hurricane. The moment he received news from Sarah that she wanted to spend time Aboveground, Jareth came to their house to ensure everything was perfect. He kept himself busy by setting up the house by hand instead of magic. After the week they had, he wanted their time away from the Underground to be as pleasurable as possible. That she was still angry with him also made him want this time to go smoothly. For many reasons, he was becoming exhausted from the anger she still directed toward him.

A change in magic signaled to Jareth that Sarah had arrived. The slight creaking of the floor boards made him aware that she was in the master bedroom. Jareth walked over to the stairs to give Sarah a lovely greeting, when a knock on the door halted his steps. Reluctantly, he turned around and walked to the front door. He opened the wooden door to see Toby, by himself, anxiously staring up at him.

Jareth gave him a curious glance. “Tobias, what you are doing here?”

“I saw the lights on and thought I should come over and say hi to Sarah,” Toby answered. “Oh, and you too.”

This child was a terrible liar, Jareth quickly deduced. Something he and Sarah obviously had in common, but there had to be a reason why he came over here.

“Without Robert or Karen?” Jareth asked.

“Uh, yeah, they’re like super tired…from work and stuff,” he said, looking over his shoulder at his barely illuminated house.

 _Dreadful liar_ , Jareth thought as he moved out of the way to let Toby inside.

Toby walked inside the house and noticed that their place looked almost like his home, the layout almost the same, except for the furniture. Everything reminded him of old European paintings that he saw in his history books.

“Not your style?” Jareth teased from behind Toby. For a moment, he forgot that Jareth was in the room with him.

“Just different,” he shrugged. “The other neighbors don’t have stuff like this.”

“I always vie to be different,” Jareth said. “Take a seat, Tobias.”

“Why do you call me that?” he asked, sitting on the sofa.

“Is it not your name?”

“Yeah, but usually people only call me that when I’m in trouble,” Toby said.

“Then I will call you ‘Toby’,” Jareth chuckled. “Nothing to worry about here. You’re in no trouble.”

“Promise?” he asked, earnestly. Jareth tilted his head slightly, pondering the young boy’s odd outburst.

“Stay here,” Jareth ordered. “Sarah’s upstairs. I’ll go get her.”

Placing one step on the stairs, Jareth stilled his motions at Toby’s question.

“How long have you been the Goblin King?”


	9. Chapter 9

_I won't tell your_ _secrets_

 _Your_ _secrets_ _are safe with me_

* * *

"Sarah!" Jareth called out as he frowned at the young boy, displaying his displeasure at the current situation.

 _Uh oh_ , Toby thought as he fiddled with his hands. His mother always told him that his mouth would get him into trouble one day. This might be the day.

"What?" Sarah yelled back from a room upstairs.

"I suggest you come down here, _now_!" Jareth shouted, turning back toward the stairs. "We have a visitor."

"A visitor?" Sarah yelled back. "How's that possible? I didn't hear the door."

"Just get down here!"

The sound of a small snicker caused Jareth to turn around to Toby.

"Find something amusing?" Jareth asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You two sound like an old, married couple," he pointed out. "But you're not really, are you?"

"You ask a lot of questions, Tobias," Jareth warned as he approached the sofa.

"Oh crap," he whispered to himself. Much to Toby's relief, Sarah walked slowly down the stairs. She, just like Jareth, was wearing her normal Aboveground clothing, jeans and a shirt.

"Toby," she said, surprised to see him on the couch as she looked at Jareth. "What are you doing here?"

"This mischievous urchin has questions," Jareth said, sauntering to the door in order to lock it.

Suddenly, the words of the psychic rushed through his head: _These creatures are not all sweet and nice_. Toby saw Jareth locking the door, causing him to stand up in a panic, turning his head from Jareth to Sarah and back.

"I just wanted to ask some questions," Toby said, praying his nervous stutter wasn't showing. "I didn't mean to cause trouble."

Sarah realized what was happening, rushing to Toby's side, reaching one arm around his shoulders and sitting with him on the couch.

"Hey," she said, reassuringly. "We're not going to hurt you. I promise."

"I forgot to lock the door," Jareth shrugged. "You get annoyed when I don't do that."

"You knew that would scare him," Sarah chastised as glared at him with side eyes.

A sly grin crept across Jareth's face. "Two birds, one stone, and all that," he said.

"What happened here?" Sarah asked, looking at Jareth and then Toby.

"Looks as though our cover is blown," Jareth answered.

"I just… I asked him if he was the Goblin King," Toby whispered. Now, it was Sarah's eyes that went wide with panic.

"Ah, such a relaxing weekend," Jareth said, leaning against the wall.

"I'm so sorry," Tali said quickly, appearing in front of the group, in the middle of the living room. "I know you said emergencies. But this is kind of one. I think."

Sarah stood and approached Tali, temporarily forgetting about Toby, grabbing the papers that were held in her hand. "What's going on?"

Suddenly, Lochlan appeared right in front of Sarah, causing Tali to back up a bit. He looked a little unkempt. His hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, but several tendrils had escaped its confines, giving off the appearance that he just woke up from bed.

"Most gracious Queen," he said with a mocking bow. "I humbly request that you speak to Lady Tali on my behalf. Thus far, she wants nothing to do with me; I wish to court her." He heard a small shuffling of feet behind him and rotated his head to see the object of his affections. "Hello, pet," he purred, stalking toward her which caused Tali to step back. Tali was more surprised that he would do this in front of others rather than the actual act itself. Although since they last spoke only a few hours ago, he seems to have spent some quality time with a bottle of liquor.

"Hey! Have you lost your mind?" Sarah asked, suddenly remembering the presence of the young human. She walked toward Lochlan and pushed him in the opposite direction of Tali. "You just appeared in front of a human."

Lochlan and Tali both peered over Sarah's shoulder to see Jareth, looking bored with the goings on around him, standing next to a gawking, young boy.

"Oops," Lochlan smirked. "Is he one of those stupid humans? We can say that this is a dream."

"I'm not stupid," Toby called out.

"He's not stupid," Sarah and Jareth said at the same time.

"And who would even dream this conversation?" Sarah asked incredulously. "All of this is insane. In the kitchen, both of you."

Tali walked to the kitchen as order, but Lochlan stopped before leaving the room.

"Forever trapped with babysitting duties," Lochlan said, teasing his brother.

"Don't make me throw a knife at you," Jareth warned.

Lochlan laughed and left the room as Sarah turned to Jareth, glaring daggers at Toby. "Keep an eye on him."

"Now, you've done it now, Toby," Jareth sighed, sitting next to him on the couch.

"This is a quaint, little human house. My brother needs to think larger than a suburban dwelling," Lochlan said as Sarah entered the kitchen. He moved closer to Tali and nuzzled her neck as one of his hands sneak around to hold her waist. "Just so you know, I have a lovely chateau in France. Would you like to see it?"

Tali smelled a strong scent of ale on his breath as she muffled her laughter by hiding her face in her shoulder. Sarah grabbed him by the collar, pulling him away from her lady-in-waiting.

"Settle down and keep your hands to yourself," she ordered, leaving a peeved Lochlan to sit alone in the kitchen nook. "All right, Tali, you first."

Tali timidly moved a section of hair behind her ear, remembering that she came here for a purpose. "Uh, Queen Kalin showed up," she began. "She seemed off and by off I mean smashed or maybe just blinded by anger. Now that I think about it, it could be both. But, she demanded that I give this to you as soon as possible."

"Hold on. Why are you giving this to me?" Sarah asked. "Where's Cormac?"

"Um," Tali said, peering up at the ceiling, contemplating her words over. "Cormac might be terrified of Kalin. And he might have shown up at my mother's home and told me to go talk to her. I think he's hiding in the Palace stables right now. He might also not want me telling you any of that."

Sarah sighed as she rolled her eyes and then skimmed over the papers in her hand. "Judging by the ragged appearance of her handwriting and the various misspellings, I think she wrote this herself in about two seconds." She read the first few lines of the paper, as difficult as it was to read. "She wants to terminate her contract with Taggert? I can't deal with this right now, especially since she's overreacting about… what is her complaint? It's all smudgy. Tell her I'll think about it and will speak to her when I get back."

"Okay," Tali said, not too pleased with that response.

"If she is giving you problems, have her come see me," Sarah assured her as she handed the papers back to the half-elf. "Does that sound better?"

Tali gave a sigh of relief and nodded her head. "Yes, it does."

"Also, tell her to make sure there are no humans present if she comes," Sarah ordered. "That's goes for you too."

"Yes, of course. Sorry about that, again."

As Tali began to disappear, Lochlan stood up from the nook and called out to her. "You have my heart, Little Bird!"

A look of amused confusion crossed her face before she vanished.

Sarah slapped him in the arm. "Are you insane?"

"I have been called that before," he said nonchalantly. "You're not hurting my feelings."

Sarah leaned in to him, getting a whiff of his breath. "Have you been drinking? Why is everyone drinking, yet I'm sober?" she asked, reaching into a cabinet to grab two glasses. "I'm supposed to be the one with the bad week. What's wrong with you?"

His head bowed slightly and his shoulders slumped. "I'm not sure what I'm doing," he admitted in defeat.

"Yes, I can see that," she said, filling the glasses with water. "You and Jareth have many things in common. Incompetency when it comes to wooing is one of those things."

"She finds me sweet," Lochlan said, defending himself. "She said so herself."

"Tali is incredibly nice and kind," Sarah said as she handed him one of the glasses. "She trying to be pleasant in the face of your insanity. Sweet is not the word I would use to describe what you're doing."

"Then what would you call it then?" he asked.

"Entertaining," Sarah replied.

"Who wants a boring companion?" Lochlan countered.

"Who wants a companion that is extraordinarily exhausting?" she refuted.

"And Jareth isn't?" he said with a laugh.

"Jareth is _very_ exhausting- at times," Sarah explained. " _At times_ being the key words here."

Lochlan said nothing as he ran his fingers through his hair, freeing it so it flowed free.

"What is your strategy?" she asked. "Stalking her? Yell random things at her until… what exactly is suppose to happen?"

"My first idea was to drag her to my castle and tie her to my bed until she'll have me," Lochland admitted. "However, I thought better of it since I believed that you would frown on such behavior."

Sarah stared at him with bewilderment.

""Yeah, I would _frown_ on that behavior. You can't do that," she stated becoming agitated at his inability to properly pursue someone. "And I doubt she would be pleased with that plan also."

"Well, then, I've run out of ideas," he said as he took a sip of water. "Was approaching you about this issue foolhardy on my part? She told me that you warned her about me."

"Everyone should be warned about you," Sarah said, defending herself. "And I did tell her about you- basically that you're eccentric. But, I never told her to shun your advances."

This was news to Lochlan. "What?" he questioned. "I assumed you poisoned her head."

"I'm actually insulted that you think that of me," Sarah stated. "I'm way too lazy to manipulate relationships like that."

"Then explain to me why she treats me like the plague?" he countered.

"In fairness, no one would allow the plague to nuzzle her neck," she pointed out. "Your reputation precedes you, Lochlan. She knows about your exploits…."

Lochlan slammed the glass on the counter, shocking Sarah that the cup didn't break.

"My _exploits_ are… Never mind. I have no interest in being an open book to others," he confessed. "You should know this by now."

"Wait-are you being serious about wanting to court her?" Sarah asked. "That's not the booze speaking?"

"Are you shocked?" he inquired. "Surprised by that I would take an interest in someone?"

"Frankly, yes," she said. "You make fun of Jareth and acted as though courting is the dumbest thing anyone ever created."

"It's only one of the most useless things created," Lochlan amended. "Not _the_ most useless."

"Why do you like her anyway?" she inquired as she looked at him in suspicion.

" _That_ is none of your business," he smirked. Sarah sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck in exasperation.

"Since I don't want you barging into my house anymore, I will tell you this," Sarah said, sincerely. "This, how you are with me, most of the time anyway, is what you need to show Tali if you want her to not just laugh at your bizarre antics. That bravado you display only works when you are trying to intimidate someone. Jareth tried that, and it didn't work so well. And if he still did that with me he would be sitting by himself in a corner."

"I heard that," Jareth yelled from the kitchen.

"I'm sure you did," Sarah yelled back.

Lochlan said nothing as he rubbed his hands over his face

"You can still obnoxious,just show her something more about you ," she said. "If you're truly serious about this."

Lochlan lifted his head, a tired expression crossing his face. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "And I'm not obnoxious."

"Eh, that's open for debate," Sarah argued. "How about asking her to lunch or dinner?"

"Why would I do that?" Lochlan asked, confused. "Does she not eat?"

Now it was Sarah's turn to be confused. "What? No, she eats. I mean ask her to join you for dinner. She'll understand what you mean if you ask, I'm sure. She's half-human and lived in the Goblin Kingdom. Tali's probably use to being asked out to dinner."

A low growl escaped his mouth.

"Nope, you don't get to be possessive-yet," she said. "Not until you ask her out."

"Ask her out," Lochlan repeated in a high tone attempting to mock Sarah.

"Make fun of me if you want, but it's either this or courtship," Sarah said. "Or leaving her alone. Your choice."

Lochlan let out an annoyed grunt. Words could not fully express how bothered he was when Sarah was right.

Sarah's lips broke out into a large smile as she reached over and gave him a hug. He, in turn, raised one hand to pat her twice on the back "I forgot how much you liked hugs."

"Shut up," Sarah said, releasing him. "You love them too. One day, you'll admit it. Now, go away. I have to deal with my sort of, kinda, brother."

* * *

"Ah! Finally! You're back," Kalin said as soon as Tali appeared in Sarah's office. "Did she sign it?"

"No," Tali answered.

"What!" Kalin yelled.

"She did say that she would think about it," Tali said quickly, attempting to calm her down. "And that you might be overreacting- uh oh." As soon as that last sentence left her mouth, she realized her mistake.

"I am not overreacting!" Kalin bellowed. Tali rushed to Kalin and gave her a hug. The last thing she needed was the guards barging in. Also, the Pixie Queen looked like she needed one. "You're the only subordinate who has ever dared to touch me," Kalin said, holding back a sob.

Tali, annoyed with herself that she was making so many mistakes today, tried to pull away from Kalin but was pulled back in as Kalin wrapped her arms around the poor lady-in-waiting.

"I think you need to get some sleep," Tali squeaked out as Kalin continued to hold her close. "If I may ask, how much time and effort did you put into this contract reversal?"

"An extensive amount of time," Kalin replied in between sniffles. "Nearly two, maybe three, minutes."

"Would you like to talk about it?" Tali asked. She didn't care about the odd ramblings of the distraught Queen, but she also didn't like seeing anyone in this state, especially Kalin. Tali hadn't spent much time around her, but she knew that this was abnormal behavior for the usually stoic monarch. At least, she was putting to good use all those years of comforting heartbroken bar patrons.

"No," Kalin said, letting go of Tali and straightening herself. "Sarah's right; I am overreacting. You know, I've never been properly courted before. This whole concept is new to me, that's all. Why am I letting this take me off the deep end? I should simply handle this as I have my past relationships."

With a sense of determination, Kalin marched toward the door. Before she left, Tali stopped her.

"Do I need to warn Her Majesty about whatever it is that you are about to do?" she asked. Tali had no idea what Kalin did in her other relationships. "Should we be preparing an army or something?"

"No, leave her be. I can handle this," Kalin smirked.

* * *

"Are you super important people? How do you get to this world? What's your world called? Who were those two that just appeared? That one guy looked like you. Is he your brother?" Toby questioned enthusiastically. He was barely keeping still, bouncing around in his chair at the kitchen island. "What are you guys anyway? Elves?"

"Call me an elf again, and I'll throw a goblin at you," Jareth threatened.

Sarah smacked him in the arm. "He wouldn't do that," she reassured Toby.

"She's right," Jareth said. "I would rather kick one in your general direction."

"You're lucky that he's too excited to take your threats seriously," Sarah said as she poured Toby some tea.

"I don't like tea," Toby complained as he gazed at the offending tea cup.

"I know, but this is all I feel like making other than water," Sarah smirked. "So, learn to appreciate it

"How do you know I don't like tea?" Toby questioned. "Or that I like double chocolate cake?"

Sarah opened her mouth to answer the question and then quickly closed it.

"Your simple question requires a complicated answer," Jareth said, leaning against the fridge.

"But you guys look normal," Toby blurted out.

"Should I be insulted by that comment?" Sarah asked.

"It's because I'm wearing glamour," Jareth explained. "Poor Sarah, here, has the unfortunate pleasure of having to walk around resembling a human."

"If you feel like sleeping on the floor tonight," she hissed in his ear. "Keep talking like that."

How quickly Jareth forgot that Sarah was still annoyed with him.

"Toby, where do Robert and Karen think you are?" Sarah asked. "Because I know it's not here."

"At Michael's place," he answered. "He lives around the block. I told them that I was going to get one of my games back."

"Okay, you've been here long enough," Sarah said. "You need to get back home, but you can't tell anyone what you saw here."

"But I still have so many questions," Toby said, irked that they would be kicking him out.

"Life is a series of questions, Toby," Jareth said, leaning against a kitchen counter.

"Thanks for that, Aristotle," Sarah said, sarcastically. She left her chair and walked over to Toby, who didn't budge from his seat. Sarah cupped his face in her hands, ensuring that he looked her in the eyes. "Promise me you won't tell anyone, including your parents, and I'll tell you what you want to know in time."

"Sure, but I wasn't really planning to," Toby said, rolling his eyes at her earnest statements. "They'd think I'm crazy." Sarah dropped her arms at her side in resignation.

 _Of course_ , she thought. _Teenagers don't talk to their parents._

"You're not just going to leave and not come back, right?" Toby asked, worried marring his face. "You guys will still be here tomorrow?"

"Yeah," she said, reassuring him. "I promise we will be here."

"All right. Fine. You win," he said, standing up from his chair. "But I'm totally coming back tomorrow."

"Thanks for the advanced warning," Jareth muttered. "I'll be sure to bar the windows."

"Ignore him," Sarah said, walking Toby to the door. "Go home. I don't want you to get in trouble."

Before Toby walked through the door, he turned around and gave Sarah a hug. Caught off guard, Sarah slowly wrapped her arms around him

"I'm glad you're here," he said, before releasing her and running out the door. Sarah watched as Toby ran down the street, up the porch, and inside his house.

"Do you really think he won't tell anyone?" Jareth asked after she closed door, locking it. "I can make him forget this."

"Would he forget this conversation we just had?" Sarah asked. "Or everything about me."

Jareth started to answer, but she interrupted him. "Forget it," she said. "I don't want us messing with his mind. The more I think about it, I'm happy he knows. It doesn't feel good to have to hide," Sarah said as she walked back into the kitchen with him following her. How could he possibly have figured all this out?"

"Have you forgotten that outrageous amount of questioning he had?" he countered. "He was only slightly certain about me."

"But how could he remember you? He was just a baby," Sarah wondered aloud. "And then the changeling magic. He's really not supposed to remember anything."

"You'll have to ask Finnean about that," Jareth said, rubbing his brow, hoping to preclude a headache from forming. "We all knew that whatever that seer did was not perfect."

"Could they get their memories of me back?" Sarah asked, earnestly.

"I don't know, but you shouldn't get your hopes up," he said as he walked to the cupboard, grabbed two long stemmed glasses to pour wine from the decanter.

Jareth handed a glass to Sarah, watching her down the contents. She quickly gathered the tea cups and pot and rinsed them in the sink. Jareth stood off to the side, giving her a suspicious stare, finding it odd that she would wash the cups by hand. Sarah worked in silence, barely giving him a second glance.

"I need food," she finally said as she dried her hands on a towel. She walked to the phone and began dialing.

"There's no need for you to do that," Jareth pointed out as he took a sip of wine.

"But I like doing it. That's the point of being up here," Sarah whispered before the guy from the pizza place answered the phone. Jareth vaguely knew what a cheese pizza was, but he was certain that these cinnamon sticks with extra icing were just a made up concoction. "It'll be here in fifty minutes," she said after hanging up the phone. "I forgot summer is always a busy time for them."

"More than enough time," he growled as he seized her hips, drawing her close.

"Not now," she sighed as she tried to push him away.

"No," Jareth said, grabbing her by the arm, suppressing his rising anger. "I didn't come up here to play human so you could ignore me."

"I'm not ignoring you," Sarah said, first rolling her eyes and then looking to the side. "I spent all of last night at your castle, remember?"

Jareth let out a sigh as he gently cupped her face between his hands. "And I thought you were well rid of your anger then, but you can't be upset with me forever."

"Yes, I can," she pouted, letting a small smile slip before returning to her pout again. However, Jareth could see straight throw her charade.

"No, you can't," he said as he lifted her, placing her on the edge of the kitchen island. "Yell and scream at me all you want but don't ignore me anymore. You must be exhausted from being irritated with me for so long."

Sarah rested her head on his shoulder, releasing some of the tension that she didn't realize she had. Jareth slowly raked his hands over her back, trying to sooth her.

"I'm tired of being angry," she concurred as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Jareth pulled Sarah back and placed a tender kiss on her lips.

"You told me apologies and flowery words won't work," he said as he rested his palms on her legs. "Yet, that's all I have left to give you."

"I know," she whispered, kissing him on the corner of his mouth. Sarah felt the cold granite against her skin, knowing that Jareth made her jeans vanish. "What are you doing?" she asked as he leisurely kissed his way down her neck.

He hooked his thumbs around the sides of her underwear, quickly pulling them off. Jareth lowered his gaze to her sex as he gently pressed her upper body onto the kitchen island. He slowly licked her clit before his teeth captured it as he held her in place with his hands on her thighs. Sarah lowered her gaze downward to find him watching her. She threaded her fingers through his hair as they kept their eyes locked on each other even as she began to rock her hips, moaning loudly in response to his ministrations.

Jareth's hands reached up, her upper garments fading, and immediately found her breasts, using his fingers to twists her nipples. Sarah cried out in pleasure. Her breathing soon became shallow and her hips and stomach rolled until she tensed, feeling her release flow. She gripped tightly onto the sides of the island, gasping for air. Her clit throbbed in pleasure and pain between his teeth until the pain beginning to take over. She pushed at his head, and he lifted away. Sarah remained unmoved, catching her breath, staring at the ceiling as Jareth face came into view.

"I'm sorry for all the nonsense I put you through. Accept my apology?" he asked before kissing her chin. "Am I now in your good graces?"

"Yeah," she said, slowly nodding. Sarah wrapped a hand around the back of his neck as their lips collided.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Their kiss broke as the both turned their heads toward the front door. Sarah tapped Jareth on the shoulder, still not moving from her supine position. "Go get food."

"Such a demanding queen," he chuckled as he walked toward the door.

* * *

The main dining hall during meal times at Taggert's castle was always in a state of barely controlled chaos. When Taggert's uncle took the throne many years ago, his uncle made it his mission to improve the reputation of centaurs, here and Aboveground, and Taggert has taken that task as well. After spending a lot of time restrained among other people, centaurs tended to let loose once they were with only each other.

Everyone in the hall was being loud and gregarious, everyone but Taggert.

"You've been looking like shit for the last few days," Devin said, waking Taggert from his musings. Devin sat at Taggert's left and noticed that his king was barely touching his food.

"I'll be fine," Taggert reassured him.

"All right." Devin wasn't the most thoughtful individual but he felt obligated to ask if his king was okay. "You plan to finish that?" Devin asked, motioning to Taggert's plate

"Yes, you glutton," he laughed.

Suddenly, the doors to the dining hall crashed open. Taggert rose to his feet, along with the other centaurs, as he watched Kalin storm in with a distraught looking centaur guard behind her.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," he said. "I told her to wait, but she…"

"Doesn't listen," Kalin said, finishing his sentence, with a smile on her face "I know. It's a habit of mine. I simply can't do as I'm told. Some believe it's a personality flaw. I, however, think other people are jealous- they just can't think outside the box."

"Everyone, out!" Taggert barked, showing that he was less than pleased with Kalin's stunt. As soon as the hall was cleared, Kalin approached the fuming centaur.

"There was no reason for that," she chided, brushing his shoulders of dirt that wasn't there. "I could have easily pulled up a chair. First, I would need to find a chair."

"You shouldn't be here, Kalin," Taggert snarled.

"Why? Are the crazies out? Are they following me?" she taunted as she picked up an untouched apple from the table, taking a bite. "I made sure that any creatures of the night weren't behind me."

"We've already been through this…"

"And we're going to go through this one last time," Kalin stated.

"I haven't changed my mind about this matter," Taggert said. He crossed his arms across his chest, trying to cut an imposing figure. Kalin had to try hard not to snort at the stunt he was pulling.

"And neither have I," she said with a small, dismissing wave of her hand. "It seems like we're at an impasse."

"If you would cease being hardheaded, we wouldn't be in this situation," he said, frustration rising.

"Let me get this straight," she posited. "If I refuse to go along with your orders, I get to be called hardheaded?"

"That's not what I…"

"Since we're throwing out accusations," she interrupted, walking away from him, toward the other side of the table. "You know what I call someone who keeps his lover hidden from others? A cheater."

Taggert's eyes went wide for a moment before narrowing in fury, his mouth settling into a grim, thin line.

"You would believe that I would violate your trust?" he bit out. Kalin acted as though she was thinking his question through.

"No, not really. I know you are far too admirable to do such a thing," she said whimsically. "But it appears that way. Others don't know you like I know you and might believe differently. Pixies are known to gossip. Hell! This entire Court is filled with gossips. I should know. I'm one of them. A few more days of not seeing you around my castle will surely cause the murmuring to begin."

Taggert hammered his hands on the table. "I don't care what other people think."

"Oh really?" Kalin asked, all humor departing her features. She leaned over the table, staring Taggert down. "That's all you care about! You asked me to set aside what people thought of you when you asked to court me. But you can't do the same regarding a couple of insane people."

"I want you to be safe!"

"I'd rather be free to do as I want than be safe!" she countered.

"If something happened to you…"

"You couldn't bear it," Kalin interrupted, unimpressed with his argument. "Yeah, you've said that already. I want to be with you, Taggert. Around others. And if it makes them want to attack us, I'm ready to kick their ass. Or, you know, have my guards kick their ass. It's their job anyway. But, I refuse to be the only one fighting for this relationship. So, if you can't bear to see anything happen to me, you should let me go."

Taggert face went from shock to dejection at Kalin's words. "You want to dissolve the contract?"

"If it is going to be like this, then yes," Kalin sighed. "I realize that you don't want something that happened in Mab's Square to happen to us. But you can't control for everything, Taggert. There's going to be one controlling person in any of my relationships, and it's me. I stake that claim."

Taggert reared up on his hind legs to stand on top of the table. Kalin stepped back, shocked by his behavior and that the table could hold him. He stepped off of the table, front of her.

"You could have just walked around," she mumbled. Taggert said nothing as his hand grabbed the back of her neck as his lips descended on hers, catching her by surprised. His hands moved to the side of her face, holding her in place. Kalin wrapped a hand around his wrist as a way to gain balance. Taggert trailed earnest kisses across her collar as Kalin moaned in pleasure.

"I suppose you see things my way, yes?" Kalin asked breathlessly. Taggert replied by tearing her dress at the neckline, splitting it nearly in half. Before she could shriek in outrage, he captured one of her nipples with his teeth, giving a sharp tug, as his massive hand kneaded her other breast. Kalin shouted at the sensation, threading her hands in his long hair, encouraging his harsh, sensual treatment. The sharp pain was soon soothed with a lick of his tongue.

Suddenly, Taggert hoisted Kalin up and threw her over his shoulder before he quickly made his way to the dining hall doors.

"Dammit!" she cried out. "You know I hate it when you do that!"

 


	10. Chapter 10

_And this old world is a new world_   
_And a bold world_   
_For me_

* * *

Tali rarely had a day off since she began working at the age of thirteen, but she quickly learned to love them. With Sarah gone and Kalin apparently okay since she hasn't returned, Tali could finally relax. She didn't know how good a job she was getting when Lydia first approached her. She merely wanted to get out of that town and that bar. It's not as though she disliked her time at the tavern. But, the position of barkeep and waitress never afforded her with ample time to partake in a restful trance, especially in the Palace gardens.

Eyes closed, floating several feet in the air, parallel to the ground, Tali never meditated the way her mother taught her since she believed that sitting upright required too much concentration.

Elves are denied the ability to sleep. Rest can only be gained by the use of certain meditation exercises, which all elves learn as children. However, since Tali was a half-elf, she could sleep yet not as long as other races such as humans or faes. Although she had the ability to sleep, Tali always felt better after a meditation session.

"Nice trick," drawled an amused voice.

Startled, Tali's eyes opened which made her lose concentration, causing her to fall. A pair of arms caught her, holding her close to his chest. She looked down, ensuring that she really didn't fall, and then looked up to see a smiling Lochlan gazing down at her.

"Put me down, please," she said as calmly as she could, hopeful that he didn't notice how much he frightened her. Much to her surprise, Lochlan did as she ordered, carefully placing her on her feet. Tali spun around toward him and took two steps back, which he immediately closed.

"I've never seen an elf in trance before," he admitted. "Cursed with the inability to sleep?"

"I can sleep," Tali explained. "Why haven't you seen that? Dark elves don't do meditate?"

"Dark elves usually stay in their caves unless they're hunting," Lochlan explained. "I'd rather not go in there."

"Yeah, I heard they're… unique," Tali agreed. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Taking a stroll through the gardens, naturally," Lochlan answered.

Tali rolled her eyes and decided that the best thing to do was to ignore him. If he didn't want to answer her question seriously, she didn't have to take him seriously. She settled back down on the ground, forgoing any trances, simply happy to feel the grass. Although her eyes were closed, she could hear the rustling of the grass next to her. Curiosity got the better of her. Going against her better judgment she opened her eyes. Tali turned her head to the left, immediately seeing Lochlan's face, upside down. Apparently, he thought lying in the grass was a good idea also.

"Don't you have gardens at you castle?" she said as she turned her head away to gaze at the sky.

"I do, but draugrs roam throughout them," he admitted. "Flowers smell so much better than rotting flesh. Also, if you don't watch where you're going, you'll fall into their graves. They don't particularly like it when you do that."

Tali wrinkled her nose in abhorrence. "Everything about that sounds horrible and disgusting."

"I consider that a compliment," Lochlan said.

"I'm sure you do," she said, laughing.

_Ah, that laugh_ , he thought. How much he already loved her laugh.

"However," Tali pointed out. "You don't seem someone who likes flowers."

"I don't. They're dreadful things," he said in disgust. Tali sat up which made Lochlan sit up as well. She turned toward him, noticing that he was several feet behind her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked again, meeting his gaze, unflinchingly. The intensity of his unwavering gaze made her uncomfortable, but she wasn't about to let him know that.

Silence stretched between them before Lochlan finally let out a sigh, uncharacteristically gazing down as he pulled up clumps of grass, displaying his nerves.

"Would you consider being my guest for dinner this evening?" Lochlan asked.

Tali crawled over to where he was sitting and stilled his hand from destroying anymore of the lawn. She grabbed his hand, holding it against hers, examining it closely as she took note of his long nails. She found them interesting, but she was actually buying herself some time. Tali expected the Unseelie King to ask her to do a lot of things, but none of those ideas included dinner.

"I can't do that," she said, finally looking at him, watching as his reserved yet hopeful face fall to a mask of coldness. "I promised my mother that I would visit her for dinner because yesterday's was cut short. But, I'm free tomorrow."

A sly smile crept across his face before he tackled her to the ground, pinning her underneath him.

"Why are you doing this?" Tali squealed as she tried to push against his shoulders after he nipped her ear.

Lochlan reached up, cupping her chin with one of his hands as he tilted her head upward. Tali felt the strain as her neck became taut, feeling one of his nails snaked across her throat. She eyed him intensely, almost daring him to do something, as amusement shown in his. Even though she probably should be, Tali wasn't frightened by his actions at all. _He's harmless_ was the phrase that rang through her mind. His face went to her neck, and his breath brushed across her skin like silk, making her shudder.

"I don't care much for your trickery," he whispered in her ear as his longer hair fell on her cheeks.

"Oops," she smirked. Lochlan released his grasp on her jaw and turned his head, almost kissing her lips. However, Tali stopped him in time as she covered his mouth with her hand. Lochlan furrowed his eyebrows as an indignant looked crossed his face.

"I only agreed to have dinner with you," Tali explained. "Nothing more." Suddenly, she felt a wet sensation across her palm, causing her to retract her hand. "AH! Did you lick my hand?"

"Taste sweet," he teased as he stood up from the ground. Lochlan reached out a hand to her, which she took without reservation. She knocked off the residual leaves and grass off her dress, trying to ignore his intense stare.

"I need to leave," she said, finally looking up at him. "My mother- she'll be expecting me soon."

"Punctual are we?" Lochlan said. "Another thing I appreciate about you. Meet me outside the Palace gates at the nineteenth hour tomorrow. I abhor the process of going through the Palace shields."

"You don't think that I can travel to your castle by myself?" Tali asked.

"But I admire this alluring face," he said as he traced his thumb along her high cheek bones. "I'd hate for one of my creatures to tear it to pieces."

"Serious?" she asked, eyes going wide with fear.

"Did you believe that my kingdom consisted of only dark faes and elves?" Lochlan countered, not able to cease the smile that formed across his face. "Have I scared my Little Bird away?"

"Stop calling me that. Tomorrow, outside the Palace gates," Tali replied, pushing aside any anxiety she had. "I'll be there."

* * *

Jareth's breathing was heavy as he slowly moved with Sarah, his lips claimed hers. She raked her nails down his back. Jareth loved morning sex. And afternoon sex. And evening sex. Anytime, actually. But at this moment in time, it was morning; therefore, this was his favorite. When Jareth bit her neck, Sarah released a moan.

Unexpectedly, the sound of the door bell rang throughout the house.

Sarah went still.

"Ignore it," Jareth growled out. She tried to do what he said, trying to forget the disruption. Then, someone knocked on the door.

"I can't ignore it," she whispered before stopping his actions. "I have to get the door." Yet, he refused to concede defeat, placing kisses on her shoulder. Another knock on the door made Sarah push against his shoulders, stopping his caresses. "I need to get the door; It's going to drive me crazy."

"We're not done," he said, annoyed.

"Well, then just finish," she countered.

Jareth was appalled. "I don't want to _just_ finish." Sarah ignored his remarks, pushing him off her. She put on her pajama bottoms and a large, over sized rock band t-shirt, ignoring Jareth's irritated glare.

"Don't look at me like that," Sarah said as she quickly pulled her hair into a ponytail before she left him alone in their bedroom.

"Bloody humans," Jareth muttered while he slowly left the bed.

Sarah jogged to the door, hoping to arrive before anyone left. She would hate to have to stop their morning activities for nothing. Jareth would surely be annoyed at that fact. Opening the door, she was surprised to see Toby _and_ Karen.

"Hi," Sarah said, her eyes moved from mother to son and back.

"He told me that you two were back in town," Karen sighed. "I didn't believe him, but he told me to keep knocking. Did we wake you? So sorry about that."

"Oh no, you're fine," she said, dismissing her concern. "We're… late sleepers. Is there something that you need?"

"Feel free to say no…"

"Mom!"

"The new library is having its grand opening," Karen explained. "Robert and I are on the board, and we have to be there for several hours, possibly most of the day. But Toby would rather not go…"

"And, you would like us to watch him?" Sarah interrupted.

"I understand if I'm asking too much, but I would rather not have him home alone," Karen earnestly explained. "Sitting in front of the TV like a zombie."

Sarah looked over to Toby, who was not so subtly pleading for her to say yes by clasping his hands together under his chin. Memories flooded Sarah's mind of all the times Karen asked her to babysit him.

"Of course," she said. "It's no problem."

"Are you sure?" Karen asked in earnest, not quite believing the young woman agreed to watch a troublesome teenage boy.

"Yeah, yeah," Sarah answered as she nodded her head, moving to the side to allow Toby inside. He tried running in to the house, but Sarah snatched him by the arm. "Don't run off like that. Say goodbye to your mother."

Karen was pleasantly surprised by the gesture. Toby rolled his eyes and gave his mom a halfhearted hug.

"Bye, mom," he mumbled before heading inside.

"And he might learn manners from you? I should pay you," Karen said, impressed. She started digging in her purse, searching for her wallet. "At least, let me give you some money for food. He'll eat you out of house and home."

"There's no need to do that," Sarah demurred. "We'll give you a call if he acts up."

"But you don't have our cell numbers," Karen said, genuinely confused.

_Damn._

"Um, I…I assume Toby knows it," Sarah recovered.

"Oh, right, of course," she said as she laughed at herself. The sound of a honking horn startled the two women. "So impatient. I have to go. Thank you again!"

Sarah waved goodbye as she watched Karen awkwardly jog in heels to the car where Robert was waving as well. She turned around to see Toby's cheerful face as he sat on her couch.

"When did you become a morning person?" Sarah mumbled, locking the door.

"Mornings suck," Toby admitted. "But mornings at the library suck more."

"Sounds fun to me," Sarah shrugged, walking away from the door. "Have you had breakfast?"

"Nope!"

Sarah chuckled, shaking her head as she made her way to the kitchen. "Food is on its way."

Toby stood up from the couch to follow Sarah when he noticed Jareth descending the stairs. Shirtless and wearing only black silk trousers, Jareth hadn't noticed the teenager when he finally made his way downstairs. He heard a breath hitch and turned to see Toby standing in the middle of the living room. This was also the first time Toby had seen Jareth without glamour since he was a baby, outside of his dreams.

Jareth smirked at the sight of the alarmed teenager.

"Notice something, Tobias?" he asked as he approached him. He wasn't really angry at the young boy, but he thought he could get some payback, since he was the reason for the knocking at the door.

"Um, no," Toby mumbled, trying not to show fear but failing miserably. He couldn't stop staring at Jareth's face, no matter how rude the act might be.

"Still wish to learn more about us, hm?" Jareth asked, walked toward Toby.

"You guys _did_ promise that you would," he replied as his back hit the wall. He could see into the kitchen, but Sarah wasn't in sight.

"Want to know an interesting fact about me?" Jareth asked, leaned over to gaze in Toby's eyes. Toby nodded, cautiously. "I assume you've discovered that there are two courts, yes?"

Toby nodded his head again but still said nothing. Jareth's hand stroked his chin in contemplation.

"However, I possess the magic of both," Jareth said. Suddenly, his eyes went black, and the nails on his fingers extended.

Wide-eyed, Toby gasped, surprising himself by not screaming.

"That's not funny, Jareth!" Sarah chastised from the kitchen, finally looking at them. "You're going to give him a heart attack." He stood to his full height, laughing the entire time.

"Ah, he's young. His heart can take it," he said, slapping Toby on the shoulder, causing the teenager to lose some of the tension he was holding. "Go eat, Toby."

Toby ran into the kitchen looking over his shoulder to see a pleased Jareth sauntering behind him.

"Don't be afraid of him," Sarah said at the stove, her back to him. He took a seat at the kitchen island. "He'll continue to taunt you if he thinks he can get a rise out of you."

"Telling him all my secrets?" Jareth said, entering the kitchen. "How dare you take away all my fun." He walked over to the corner of the kitchen near Sarah, leaning against the counters.

"So, you don't actually eat children?" Toby asked him.

"Children are revolting. I prefer middle aged adults," Jareth replied with a straight face. "More marbling."

Sarah, who was still cooking at the stove, very much unamused with his antics, slowly turned her head to glare at him. He chuckled as he leaned over to kiss Sarah on the forehead, dissipating any angry words she have hurled his way. He walked over to the island to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"I don't eat humans," he clarified, becoming more serious. "And I appreciate you tell whoever told you that to cease that horrid propaganda."

"But you're the Goblin King and goblins…"

"Don't eat children," Jareth interrupted, a little bothered by the accusations. "They drink beer and too much of it."

"Come to the think of it, I've never seen them eat or drink anything else," Sarah said with a snicker as she placed a small plate in front of Toby.

"Awesome! Egg and cheese sandwich," Toby said in awe. "I love these, but of course, you know that."

"Toby, it's a long story and a complicated one at that," Sarah sighed.

"That's fine; I'll listen," he said while taking a bite of his sandwich.

* * *

"The peonies don't go there. That would look ridiculous!" Kalin shouted. "Why would they go there? Obviously, the morning glories go on the trellises! Not the peonies!"

Kalin stood in the middle of the bridge that lead to the gatehouse of her castle. Her long hair was wrapped tight in a high bun, and she was dressed unexpectedly in her riding cloths for fear that today's activities would muck up her more glamorous clothing.

"There's no reason why you should be out here, ordering people around," Taggert said, very much entertained by what he was observing. He slightly startled her as he wrapped an arm around her waist from behind.

"I absolutely should be," Kalin countered as she watched several pixies and two faes move the peonies off the lattices. "Who else would do it?"

"Someone. Anyone," he retorted. She turned around in his arms, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"I have to work out my nervous energy somehow," she said.

"I can think of better ways to use that energy," Taggert whispered in her ear before placing a kiss on her neck.

Kalin rolled her eyes before freeing herself from his grasp. "This is important. Everything needs to be perfect." She looked over Taggert's shoulder, noticing something was askew. "Those coleuses- they need to be in the sun!" she yelled to a group of elf and dwarf workers. "They'll die if you leave them there! Take them away from the wall!"

Taggert laughed at the absurdity of it all. "Do you really believe Sarah would think less of you if a flower is misplaced here or there?"

"No, she wouldn't," Kalin conceded. Her voice became more erratic as she spoke. "But others might. Not only are my people going to be flooding my capital and periphery of my castle, but people from the entire kingdom are going to be following Her Majesty around like a caravan. A reigning sovereign of the Seelie Court has never visited this kingdom. All the inns iare booked- this is going to be insane!"

Taggert grasped her hands in his, lifting them up to his lips kissing her knuckles gently.

"Calm yourself, _Mo huirnín_ ," he muttered against her skin. "Everything will be fine."

"Easy for you to say," she said, pulling her hand away. "You're almost last on the list. By the way, what special events do you have planned for her visit? A head butting contest?"

"No," he said with a chortle. "Although, that sounds like a marvelous idea. Thanks for that. How about you give your workers a break from you and have lunch with me?"

"What do you mean 'a break from me'?" Kalin asked, flabbergasted. "That's a rude thing to say out loud."

Taggert covered his eyes with one of his hands, shaking his head. "Come on," he said, hooking her arm with his. "Let's get you away from here."

When they arrived in her dining hall, Taggert was taken aback by all the changes. He hadn't spent much time in this part of her castle, but he was shocked by the remodeling.

"Did you do all this because of Sarah's visit?" he asked, pulling out her chair at the head of the table.

"I've wanted to change it for a while," she admitted as she sat down. "Her visit gave me an excuse."

The entire room was in white, including the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the statutes in the corners of the room, and the long wooden table, except for the wing backed chairs which were black.

"This seems very much unlike you," he mumbled as he moved a chair out of the way so he could sit next to her.

"The stark color contrast will bring out the flowers that I plan to bring in here," Kalin said, proudly. "You'll see. It will be marvelous."

"You are setting the bar very high for the rest of us," Taggert said. "I refuse to take on a makeover job. I assume you are taking security in consideration as much as you are the flower arraignments."

"I'm insulted that you would think that I only concern myself with frivolous things," she said as she summoned for their meals. "I am capable of holding two things in my mind at once."

"Cormac sent several Palace guards, didn't he?" he said as he eyed her suspiciously.

"Yes! And so did Jareth. I'm so happy I don't have to think about that," Kalin admitted. "Maybe this whole ordeal is really over. We haven't heard a thing from those people."

"That's what they want us to think," Taggert said, cutting into his food. "Thankfully, we haven't received any threats, and yes, nothing has occurred. But now is not the time to let our guard down. Promise me you'll put as much care into your and everyone else's safety as you do about the plants."

"Of course, I will," she said, rolling her eyes. "Stop acting as though I was just crowned yesterday."

When they finished their meal, Taggert led Kalin to the courtyard of her castle. The decorations were already in place which explained why no one else was there and why Kalin wasn't barking orders at people.

"Is there a section of your castle that you haven't redone?" Taggert inquired.

"Your constant questioning sounds as though I have a problem," Kalin said. "I decided to build this for our scheduled tea time. Sarah will love it, I sure. Isn't it gorgeous?" She gestured to the large gazebo in the middle of the courtyard. The structure was grand and magnificent. The walls were carved to imitate the veins in the leave but, due to their height, they also looked like trees. The roof has tightly shingled with wood that flared up to resemble wings of the pixies.

"Didn't we all get word of this tour only a day or two ago?" he said with concern in his voice. Taggert still couldn't believe that she had done all this work in such a short amount of time.

"What's your point?" she said, walking into the gazebo. "I have swift working subjects who happen to be very resilient. You might be right. They probably wanted me to stop yelling at them. Win-win, really."

Taggert gently gripped her face, stroking her cheeks. "You're becoming very high-strung over this visit."

"Have you lost your mind?" Kalin asked with an air of indignation. "I'm _always_ high-strung. How dare you not know this about me by now. I'm nothing if not self-aware." She spun away from his touch and turned toward the main doors of the courtyard. "Where's Cristel or anyone really? Where's my tea? I always have tea after my meals. It helps with digestion."

Transforming into his human form, Taggert collapsed against the pillows, allowing them to fall over his. He knew who she was, flaws and all, yet he loved every bit of her. Lochlan was right; he must be a masochist. The pain that still radiated from his shoulders that occurred at the hand of his beloved- he deserved everything she threw at him. Forget the fact that it wasn't really punish since he enjoyed it, Taggert thought as he reached up to massaged his upper arms.

"I can take that pain away, if you want," she smirked, standing over him. "I'm sure you've learned your lesson."

"Maybe I haven't," he murmured as he seized her arms, bringing her down to the cushions, holding her close against his body. That's when Kalin finally realize that he was no longer in his centaur form.

"Are you naked?" she shrieked as she attempted to wrestle her way away from him. "Put some clothes on. And do not ruin this gazebo!"

A fae servant walked into the courtyard, carrying a tray with the Queen's much beloved tea, doing her best to ignore her Queen's and her lover's odd antics. Taggert gave her a kiss on her shoulder before releasing her. Kalin crawled to the opposite side of the low table. She conjured a robe and threw it at his overly satisfied face.

"Jerk," she muttered as the servant placed the tray on the table before walking away.

* * *

Sarah quietly stood next to the stove while Jareth paced behind her, waiting for Toby to speak. She didn't tell him everything. He didn't need to know about how Oberon died or that several people out there who want to do harm to Jareth or even that Jareth gave her the book. Regardless, she felt a weight lifting off her shoulder when she told Toby the truth about they really were. He didn't say anything for several minutes, thinking what he was told over in his head as he stared at his half-eaten sandwich.

"So, you're my sister," Toby finally said, gazing up at Sarah. "Just like in my dreams." Jareth stopped his pacing, giving him a curious glare. She looked at Toby with a mixture of sadness and pity.

"No. Did you not hear what I said?" Sarah asked carefully. "I was sent here- Robert and Karen aren't my real parents."

"But they helped raise you, more than your actual parents," he argued. "You said so yourself."

"That's… very true," she agreed.

"That makes you my sister," he stated again.

"Toby…"

"No. You're my sister," he emphatically said. Sarah's features soften, and she felt tears forming in her eyes.

"Yeah, I guess I am," she said softly. "In a weird way."

Toby left his seat and walked toward her, wrapping her in a hug. Sarah hugged him back as she kissed him on the temple. She inwardly winced at how much he's grown in the few months she's been gone. At least his voice hasn't changed yet; she didn't think she could handle that many changes at once.

"Wishing me away? That's really not cool," he said as he pulled back a little.

"Have you ever looked after a baby?" Sarah asked. "You'd say regretful things too. You wouldn't stop crying."

"I couldn't have been that bad," Toby said.

"Sarah was merely a temperamental teenager," Jareth said. "You and I got along splendidly."

"Shut up," she muttered as she glared at him. "I got him back, so there."

"Mom and dad are going to flip," Toby said. "They can barely understand any of those fantasy movies that I drag them too."

"You can't tell them," Sarah implored.

"But, they think something is different about you also," Toby explained. "They don't really admit it, but maybe…"

"Robert, Karen, you can't… I don't think they would understand," Sarah said. "At least, let me be the one who tells them when the time is right, not you. Okay?"

"Okay," he said with a nod. "I can do that."

"Does this mean I can't eat him?" Jareth asked.

* * *

"We just found out that Eòran has been captured," said a male fae, approaching camp. "But he hasn't said anything. They believe he's the only one behind the explosion."

"See?" Sawyer said. "Still loyal 'til the end. No need to worry."

"No need to worry?" Odhran repeated, incensed. "They'll charge him with treason-he'll be killed."

"Have they stated his charges?" Sawyer asked the fae standing in front of him.

"No, not yet," he answered.

"There's your answer, Odhran," Sawyer said. "If he was going to be charged with treason, his charges would have been stated already. He's fine. We're fine."

"That's it? We're just going to leave him to rot in the dungeon," Odhran said. "No plans to help him?"

"He made his choice when he left the safety of our camp!" Sawyer yelled, becoming annoyed with Odhran's complaining. "I'm not going to put our lives at risk because he was foolish with his."

"That's how it's going to be? Stand together until things turn bad?" Odhran asked.

"If you want to leave, you can leave," Sawyer countered. "Become the next Eòran for all I care." He turned to the fae delivering the news. "What else have you learned?"

"The Queen is planning a Court-wide tour," he answered. "Begins during the middle of next week."

"Is there an itinerary?"

"She begins at the Pixie Kingdom first, then the Elves," he listed. "The crowning of the new Elf Queen will take place at that time."

"Who is it?" Sawyer asked.

"Gwendolen, the Countess of Muirias," the fae said. "That's no big surprise there."

"What's the rest of the itinerary?"

"Dwarves, Giants, Trolls, Centaurs and then Goblins."

Sawyer stood up from the ground and turned to address the camp. "All right. Let's start planning."

* * *

"Wait a minute!" Toby exclaimed.

"Toby, stop yelling," Sarah hissed.

He lowered his voice as instructed but barely. "You're the Goblin King, in charge of the Goblin Kingdom, but there are more than goblins there?"

"If you drop that ice cream again, you're going to eat it off the grass," Jareth warned.

Sarah decided that the best way to follow up breakfast was a walk to the ice cream shop. As they walked back to the house, Toby already dropped his ice cream from the cone due to his excitement and not holding his hands still, which Jareth magically replaced. Toby gawked at the magic ice cream for several second before Jareth snapped his fingers in front of the boy's face.

"Just because a kingdom is named after the goblins, doesn't mean that others don't live there as well," Sarah explained in between spooning ice cream in her mouth.

"And you're the High Queen, but he's the King of the goblins," Toby pondered aloud. "So that means you're the boss of him?"

"How about you never say that again," Jareth said while Sarah chuckled at his annoyance.

As they made the turn down the side walk toward the house, Toby walked out in front and spun around, causing Sarah and Jareth to stop.

"So when can I come visit?" he asked. The two faes looked at each other, surprised at his question.

"Now is not a good time," Sarah responded. "We are very busy, and it's problematic."

"How busy can things be?" he countered. "You made time to come here, right?"

"Making time was easy, Toby," Jareth said as they continued walking. "We can't abandon our duties to come up here all the time."

"So I can only see you guys when you have _time_?" he asked, upset.

"That's how life works, Toby," Sarah sighed as they walked up to the house. "You don't remember, but when I lived in Seattle, I only saw you once a year, if that. If we were humans, we would still be having these issues. Please understand that I'm not trying to keep you away from us."

"All right," Toby grudgingly conceded.

"Don't act like you don't have anything to do," she said. "Don't you get shipped off to camp soon?"

"Next week," he answered. "Wow, you have a crazy memory."

"One of my many talents," Sarah joked as she placed the key in the door, but Toby stopped her.

"Wait a second. I'm going to get something," he said as he turned toward his house.

"Get what?" Sarah asked, but it was too late. Toby was already running back to his house.

"How does he expect to get in?" Jareth asked still eating his cup of ice cream.

"He has a key. I don't know what he's getting though," she said.

A few minutes, Toby came out the front door with a bag on his shoulder. He quickly locked the door to his house and ran down the street towards them.

"What is that?" Sarah questioned as he made it back to them.

"I brought some games for us to play," he answered.

"Did you say games?" Jareth asked as a smile crept across his face.

Setting up the console took Toby only a few minutes. When he finished, he walked toward the couch on the opposite side of the room. Jareth sat on the floor in front of the couch while Sarah sat on the sofa, behind Jareth, with a bowl of popcorn, eager to watch what was about to unfold. Toby handed Jareth a small, white steering wheel.

"What the bloody hell is this?" Jareth asked holding the item out in disgust.

"It's a steering wheel; it's your controller," Toby explained. "Have you ever driven a car before?"

Jareth scoffed as such a notion. "Driving is such a ridiculous mode of travel."

"Yeah, whatever," he sighed, dismissing his insult. "This thing is really sensitive. Use it to steer your car right or left. Push the number two to accelerate and the B button- this will let you use special moves and stuff."

"Why don't you have one of these?" Jareth asked.

Toby held up the sleek, white controller. "Because I have the almighty GamePad."

After an unimaginable amount of time that Toby had to wait so Sarah could help Jareth pick out his kart…

" _Pick Princess Peach," she demanded._

" _I don't want to be a princess," Jareth argued. "Why would I want to be a princess?"_

" _Ugh. Fine. Then go with Yoshi," Sarah said._

" _What the hell is a Yoshi?!"_

" _Oh! Choose the cloud glider," she said, trying to grab the controller from his hands. "I don't remember what they do, but they're cute." However, Jareth wouldn't let her take it._

" _Do you realize that everything you've said for the past five minutes has made absolutely no sense?"_

"Ready to get your butt kicked?" Toby said as he looked out of the corner of his eyes at Jareth.

"Uh oh," Sarah whispered as she started to eat her popcorn again. "Um, Toby, you should probably make some stipulations."

Toby gazed down at the floor, thinking over what she just said.

His head darted up in realization. "You're not allowed to use magic."

Jareth turned his head to the side to glare at her.

"What?" Sarah asked innocently, retreating to the couch cushions.

Toby pressed a button, and the screen began to countdown. The race starts as Toby pulls out ahead into the lead. To his credit, Jareth kept his pace at the third and fourth position yet unable to catch up. The final lap turtle and his cloud buddy appeared on the screen causing Jareth to curse under his breath. He finally managed to make it to the second position, but Toby was still in the lead. The Goblin King had enough of this nonsense. Suddenly, Jareth reached over and seized Toby's controller, throwing it across the room.

"Hey!" Toby cried out as his go-kart spun out while Jareth crossed the finish line in first place.

"Look at that. I won," he said smugly. Sarah burst into laughter as Jareth crossed his arms, clearly proud with himself.

"You cheated," Toby accused, standing next to Jareth, glaring at him.

"No, I didn't," Jareth said matter of factly as he looked up at Toby.

"Yes, you did," Toby said. "You can't just throw someone's controller across the room."

"You say that now."

"All you said was 'no magic', Tobes," Sarah chortled. "You should have made more demands."

"But...but," he stuttered, disbelieving the events that took place. "You so cheated!"

Jareth stood up and leaned down to Sarah, giving her a small kiss. "What's that dish with the spices and wide noodles?"

"Dragon noodles," she answered. "It's Thai. You want Thai for lunch? The menu is on the fridge in the kitchen."

"But you cheated," Toby said emphatically again.

"I'll order," Jareth said as he walked away into the kitchen, ignoring the outraged outburst of the teenage boy. "Don't worry, Toby. We'll feed you even though you're languishing in defeat."

"Toby, calm down," she said, trying not to laugh again. Toby wasn't the most competitive person except when it came to his video games. Sarah learned this a long time ago."Think of this as a lesson: use your words wisely. You're dealing with faes. Be explicit. Don't leave any loopholes."

"You're taking his side?" he asked.

"Hey, I'm the nice one here," Sarah chuckled. "I warned you. Not my fault that you didn't think things completely through."

"Why does that even have to be said?" Toby asked, holding his arms out in response to the indignity that was placed upon him. "You can't just throw someone's controller while playing the game."

"You didn't say he couldn't," Sarah shrugged. "So, why not?"

"Because…well…Because!"

"Listen, Toby," she sighed, taking his hands in hers. "I'll take you to the Underground one day. I made you a promise, and I will keep it. You won't be harmed when your with me, but that doesn't mean someone act like Jareth just did- which in grand scheme of things, isn't that bad. But if this upsets you that much, then you need to use your words and use them well. Don't leave anything open to interpretation. Otherwise, this will happen all the time. So, either think things through or grow a thicker skin."

Toby said nothing; he only rolled his eyes while frowning a bit.

"Oh come on! You have to admit that was funny," Sarah said, poking him in the sides, trying to make him smile.

"It was dumb- that's what it was," he said, attempting to hide his grin but failing.


	11. Chapter 11

_They don't know how long it takes_  
_Waiting for a love like this_

* * *

“Where is she?” Lochlan demanded as he burst through Sarah’s office. He immediately noticed Sarah’s blood shot eyes when she looked up from talking to her advisor as Jareth stood nearby.

“We don’t know exactly,” she said slowly, trying to hold back from sobbing.

“They’re somewhere in the Goblin Forest,” Jareth said, warily approaching his brother. He reached out to grab Lochlan’s shoulder, hoping to bring him some sort of comfort. “Sarah and I already dispatched nearly fifty guards out there. We are going to find her.”

“Fifty?” he asked, outraged. “That’s all the soldiers you could deign to spare?”

“Don’t act as though that’s a paltry number,” Jareth sneered. “We’re doing everything we can.”

“Bullshit!” Lochlan spat. Jareth seized him by the throat. He heard his head make a cracking noise as his brother backed him into the wall.

“Jareth! Stop!” Sarah yelled from the back of her office.

“Not too concerned about her,” Lochlan said in a humorless laugh, unconcerned with the stabbing pain from his head injury. “As long as you have Sarah, nothing else really matters. Only you are allowed to be happy, yes?”

“How dare you question our plans,” Jareth said, increasing the hold around his throat.

“Let him go,” Sarah bit out, now next to them, prying Jareth off his brother. Lochlan soothed his throat with his palm, finally free from the assault. “We are not going to stop until we find Tali. Okay? But if we send a large military presence to find her, they might kill her and run off.”

“They’ll know your men are coming regardless,” Lochlan countered. “They should be able to sense their magic.”

“That’s why we sent only humans,” Sarah replied. Seeing the Unseelie King’s outraged expression, she tried to sooth his worries. “Don’t freak out. When they find where she is being held, they light a flare, calling for backup. Lochlan, please, understand this is the best way to find her.”

Lochlan said nothing as he spun away, walking toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Jareth called out.

A slammed door was the only answer the Goblin King received.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m hungry,” Tali complained as she picked at the tattered fabric of her dress.

“Does it look like I care?” a blond fae who was guarding her cage said.

“It looks like you don’t have a plan at all,” she snapped back. “Who kidnaps someone and then refused to feed them?”

“The point of you being here is not to feed you,” he said.

“And what is the point of me being here?” Tali asked.

“You know, you talk too much,” he said as he went to the opening of the cave, checking for any disturbances.

The cave was set up like a maze with various dead ends. Tali was kept in the furthest most part of the cavern. The area was dimly lit with only two candles illuminating her stone prison. Unfortunately for Tali, the light didn’t extend to where she was being held. She had room to move around but an invisible barrier kept her confined. She wasn’t nearly powerful to overcome the magic of a fae. So, all she was left with was the power to annoy, which she wielded well against her captor. She’s been here for three days and not once has anyone fed her, and only gave her enough water to survive.

“What’s the point of kidnapping me?” she asked, leaning against a stone wall. “Why not Sarah?”

The guard spun around and marched to her holding spot. “How dare you use the informal name of Her Majesty?”

“You guys are very peculiar, you know that, right?” Tali muttered. “Just let me go. No one knows who you are. You can just slip back into whatever life you had before. No questions asked.”

Before the guard could respond, the sound of clashing metal and bloodcurdling screams rang out in the cave. Tali saw the fae run toward the opening to the rest of the cavern. The instant he reached the entrance, she watched as a sword came into view, decapitating him.

“Oh shit,” she gasped, her hands covering her mouth as she quickly backed into the farthest corner of her cell. A shadowy figure came into the room, sword in hand, slowly surveying the space. He noticed the magically barrier and approached the chamber.

Tali tried to crouch further into the corner, burying her head in her hands, hoping that she would go unnoticed. Breaking the barrier, he took one step in, creating an illuminating crystal that filled the area with light.

“Tali!” cried out a voice in frantic relief.

She looked up to see Lochlan standing in front of her clothed in black with red splatter marks covering his body. Examining the sword in his hand, Tali was sickened by blood dripping from the blade. She turned her head to the side, attempting to hold back all urge to vomit. Lochlan dropped his sword and crouched down next to her. Hands bloodies as well, he disregarded his appearance as he lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes were dewy with tears threatening to fall as her face twisted in a disgusted rage.

“Why did you kill them?” Tali whispered.

Lochlan was dumbfounded by her question, yet he cautiously tried to explain. “They kidnapped you…”

“You’re a monster!” she shrieked as she angrily removed his hands from her face.

A wounded looked marred his face as he felt his heart shatter. “I’ll never pretend to be something that I’m not,” he bit out, doing his best to not fall into despair. “I never claimed to be a merciful creature, but I’m no monster.”

“Is that how you live with yourself?” Tali spat as a cruel smile stretched across her face.

“Why are you saying such words?” he asked. “I thought you cared for me.”

Tali released a mirthless laugh. “You are delusional to think anyone could care for you- let alone love you. Are you slow? How many times do I have to tell you how vile your presence is to me? Why don’t you leave me alone and go back to your _prostitutes_. I’m sure they miss the income.”

Lochlan refused to believe that she meant the words that she was saying. He reached his arm out, longing to caress her face so that she would know that she was wrong about him.

“Get away from me!” she yelled, pushing him away causing him to fall on the cave floor. Tali scurried to her feet and then ran out of the cave. “Stay away from me!”

Lochlan’s eyes snapped open, quickly sitting up in his bed. His chest heaved as he brought a hand up to his face, shocked to feel beads of sweat.

“Bloody hell,” he coughed out loud. Lochlan wasn’t use to disconcerting dreams. He’s had a few of these in the past couple of centuries, but the last one that as detailed as this one followed the death of his mother. He looked to his left to see the cold, empty expanse of his bed. He removed the sheets from his body and made his way toward his constant supply of wine. Pouring himself a glass, he walked out onto his balcony, the shrieks of the Slaugh and pookahs soothing him.

Contrary to popular belief, he ceased his notorious lothario habits shortly after the death of his great uncle, over five hundred years ago. Lochlan was always trying to prove that he was a worthy successor since Cian always had doubts that he could effectively rule with Seelie blood. If Cian had harems, he had harems. If Cian personally tortured others, he would personally torture. Although, Lochlan had to admit that he didn’t mind the bloodthirsty aspect of his job. He wasn’t about to pretend that he was putting on appearance about that. Lochlan wasn’t a brute, but he would never call himself a good fae.

However, the isolated feelings Lochlan occasionally recognized, he blamed his father for that. Seelies cared too much, and Faolin was no exception. Or maybe it was his mother’s fault. She wasn’t categorically a normal Unseelie, he was sure of it, which is how she ended with his father in the first place. At this moment in time, he decided that it was both their faults. If he was a pure Unseelie, he wouldn’t be pining for a half-elf, yearning her attention and her affection in return. Love Conquers All- one of the well-known codes of the Seelies. _Bloody Seelies._

Until Sarah came along, Lochlan easily crushed any peculiar and annoying urges he had to pursue anyone- to not be alone. Even though he barely spoke with his brother throughout the centuries, he knew his brother was dealing with the same issues, maybe feeling them more so, since Jareth was always the more sensitive of the two. And yet Lochlan found it easier to shoulder a burden when he knew his sibling was dealing with the same issue. Yet, Jareth has found his bliss and Lochlan- he has always been content with life. Now, he wanted more than simply being content. When he thought at Tali, he saw his happiness embodied.

A bright light in the distance caught his attention as a group of dark faes descended on the area. A small shift in the air told him all he needed to know.

“Poor humans,” he said, finishing his wine. “They never learn to say away from faery hills.”

* * *

 

A small yet consistent tap on the window woke Sarah from her sleep. She looked at her alarm clock. The device blasted its vicious red glare at her, reminding her how god-awful it was to be awake at this time: 2:18AM. Peering up and beyond Jareth’s sleeping body, she noticed a large bird pecking at the glass. She rolled her eyes as she fell back into her pillows. She elbowed Jareth, waking him.

Before he could voice his objections, Sarah mumbled into the pillows, “Your brother’s here. Have fun with that.”

Jareth sat up, resting on his forearms as he noticed an osprey sitting on the balcony’s railing. Releasing a frustrated sigh, he gestured to Lochlan to the back of the house. Jareth walked down the stairs toward the backdoor, seeing his brother pacing on the back porch.

“What could you possibly want at this hour?” Jareth asked, opening the door, allowing him in.

“I couldn’t sleep,” he muttered as he marched into the house.

“I can see that,” Jareth said, taking note of his brother’s appearance. Lochlan was dressed in only his lounge pants. “That doesn’t explain why you’re here. Did you just fall out of bed and thought it was a perfect time to bother me?”

“I need tea,” Lochlan said, walking to the kitchen. Jareth growled low in annoyance as he begrudgingly followed him. Clearly, his brother came here for a reason, yet he was trying to avoid the obvious question.

“You woke me up for tea?” he asked watching his brother conjure a hot tea pot with two cups. “You barley tolerate the stuff, and now you want to have a tea party at an abhorrent time of night.”

“I need to think,” Lochlan said before sipping from his cup. Jareth stood across the kitchen island from him, surprised at what he was seeing.

“Think by yourself,” he snapped, turning around to return to bed. “You’ve done it for all these centuries.”

However, Lochlan rushed across the room, seizing Jareth by the arm, ceasing his departure. Then, Jareth heard his brother say something he never thought he would hear him say.

“I need your help,” he admitted, his eyes boring into Jareth’s.

Thinking that Lochlan would only say that if the worse has occurred, Jareth asked, “Has someone raised some sort of uprising against you?”

“What? No. Don’t be absurd,” he scoffed. “I need help with Tali. I took Sarah’s advice, and now I need assistance.”

A self-satisfying grin crossed Jareth’s lips.

“Shut up,” Lochlan murmured, returning to his tea.

“Not on your life,” Jareth countered. “Finally saw it fit to limit your erotic worldview?”

“Are you going to help me or not?” Lochlan growled. Jareth chuckled as he poured himself a cup of tea.

“I heard the conversation you had with Sarah,” Jareth said. “She didn’t say anything that I wouldn’t tell you as well. She would know more about what Tali is expecting than I would.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Lochlan said. Jareth raised an eyebrow, silently urging him to continue. “Is this- is pursuing her even worth it?” he genuinely asked.

“The fact that you’re putting any effort into chasing anyone should be your answer,” Jareth said.

“I can only imagine what Cian would say if he saw me now,” he sighed, shaking his head. “Pursuing a female- a Seelie for that matter. I’ve completely lost my mind.”

“Uncle was an absolute libertine,” Jareth countered, contempt lacing his words. “I’m still convinced humans drew their inspiration of Dionysus from him. He barely knew how to care for his own family, let alone someone outside his bloodline. It’s about time you stopped acting as though Cian was your father instead of the Seelie who really was.”

Lochlan lowered his eyes, shame washing over him. “Cian always scoffed at life mother’s elected to have,” Lochlan admitted. “He said she would have been happy and lived a long life if she didn’t run off with father. Following her death, he was furious about how her life turned out.”

“Mother made her choice, and so have I. All that she did makes perfect sense to me now,” Jareth acknowledged, carefully choosing his words. “Every day I worry that Sarah is safe; that she’s happy. If something happened to her, I’d scorch the Underground.”

“And you believe that all that mental anguish is worth it?” he asked.

“You’ve been indolent for far too long,” Jareth said with a smile. “The greatest things in life come with a price. Are you willing to pay, brother?”

* * *

 

The early morning light peaked through the curtains as Jareth sat up in bed, reviewing some paperwork that Avitus had sent him last night. Sarah was lying on her stomach next to him, asleep. The phone rang- which Jareth was not about to answer. Unless he was using it to summon food, he wasn’t interested in the odd contraption.

“Get the phone,” he said, nudging her in the side with his pen.

“Stop poking me,” she mumbled as she blindly reached for the phone on the table next to her. “Why is no one sleeping today?”

Jareth stopped what he was doing to observe the hilarious spectacle before him. How hilariously charming he found Sarah in this human environment.

“Hello,” Sarah answered with a grumble.

“Hey, Sarah! It’s me!” Toby said in an energetic tone that betrayed how early it was. Sarah peered up at the clock next to the phone stand.

“Toby, it’s five thirty on a Sunday,” she said, confused not only with his timing but the odd noises she could hear through the phone. “Why did you wake up so early?”

“Actually, I never went to bed. Dang it!” he yelled abruptly into the phone.

“What? Why are you shouting?” Sarah asked, finally sitting up.

“I’m playing this computer game with my team, but most of the members of my team are in another country,” Toby explained. “Croatia? Estonia? I can’t remember right now. Doesn’t matter. No big deal- I’ll sleep later.”

“Why did you feel the need to tell me this?”

“Mom and Dad are about to wake up- Shit!” he yelled, distracted by the game.

“Language,” Sarah laughed.

“Yeah, whatever,” he huffed. “Dad has a meeting today, and mom is going to drag me to the city with her friends, and I’m going to be stuck in stores where I can’t touch anything. Also, stupid, fancy restaurants.”

“Why on earth would Karen drag you to the city so early?” she asked.

“Easier to drive into,” Toby explained. “And, she likes people watching before she meets her friends. Please don’t make me hang out with them. I don’t want to hang out with old people.”

“You do realize that the oldest person you know now is Jareth,” she countered.

“Oh, for real? How old is he?”

Jareth snatched the phone from Sarah’s hand. “Older than the ancients,” he said, affecting an old, strained voice. “I’ve seen many moons in my time…” Sarah grabbed the phone back, hearing Toby laughing on the other end.

“I can sense a plan forming. So, what’s your idea?” she asked as she playfully slapped Jareth in the stomach.

“I’ll suggest that you watch me for the day again,” he said. “Mom will call, and you’re going to say yes.”

“Ordering me around, huh?”

“Gentle persuasion,” he said. “That’s all”

“Toby, we only have plans to stay in the house, maybe go to the museum,” she explained. “I don’t think you’ll enjoy yourself at all.”

“Sure I will,” Toby said. “Expect a phone call soon.” Then, he hung up.

“If we went with my suggestions of shuttering the windows and having him believe I eat children,” Jareth said, not looking up from his papers. “We wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“Oh, please,” Sarah said, rolling her eyes. “You like him and don’t deny it.”

Jareth gave an aloof shrug. Suddenly, a pillow hit him on the top of his head.

“Are you possessed, woman!” he yelled as he turned to a smiling Sarah who was holding the pillow.

“Admit it,” she challanged.

“Of course, I like the annoying youth,” he confessed. “He’s precocious and meddlesome. I appreciate that in human.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty great,” Sarah agreed wistfully, as she looked down to the side at the floor.

Jareth set his papers on the night stand and turned towards her. “Where did you go?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?” she asked, tearing her eyes away from the floor, but still not looking at him.

“Don’t be evasive.” His hand grabbed her chin, lifting so her eyes to meet his. “If you are considering kidnapping Toby,” Jareth teased. “I would advise you against doing that.”

“No, I wasn’t considering that.” Jareth raised an eyebrow in suspicion. “Seriously! I wasn’t. I promise. I have no plans to abduct anyone.”

“Then, I’ll ask again,” he said, softly. “Where did you go?”

Sarah exhaled deeply as she closed her eyes for moment. When they opened again, her eyes were misting. Jareth kissed her on the lips and then pressed his forehead to hers.

“I haven’t thought about it in weeks, kinda,” Sarah tried to explain, struggling to say the right words. “Having Toby around… I don’t know. I sometimes think about what it would be like when we have our child, but then I wonder if it will ever happen.”

Jareth groaned in exasperation as he dropped his hand and sat against the headboard, staring at her. “For weeks?” he asked, connecting the dots. She nodded her head in confirmation. “Is this what you saw in the maze? What you didn’t want to talk about after running the Labyrinth?”

“I didn’t want to tell you,” Sarah said quietly. “You would have just told me not to worry about it.”

“All of that is true,” he said with a nod. “But that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t have been said.”

“Maybe,” she said, gazing down at the comforter covering her lower body.

“These things happen when they happen,” Jareth sighed as he rubbed his brow. “You know that better than anyone. So assume there’s more to this, yes?”

Sarah took a deep breath, deciding to tell him everything- not that he has given her much choice.

“What I saw was your rejection of me because I couldn’t give you an heir,” she said, trying not to sniffle but failing. “You said that you gave up you’re your life for nothing.”

“Well, that apparition was clearly lying,” he said. “I had no life to give up.”

Sarah snorted. “I’m serious, Jareth.”

“As am I,” he said with a straight face.

“Don’t pretend like you did nothing until I came around,” she derided. “I heard you say you would rather have a child with a whore.”

Jareth’s eyes went wide with shock before narrowing in anger because he had enough of hearing all the nonsense she carried for so long. He turned on his side and drew Sarah closer, holding her in his arms.

“Listen to me,” he implored. “Because the last thing I want is for you to turn into those psychotic sycophants known as the noble faes who believe their only worth in life is breeding children they barely care about.”

“All right,” she whispered as she gazed down at his arms that encircled her.

“I dismissed the idea of having children centuries ago,” he confessed. Instinctively, he reached between them and placed a hand over her abdomen. “That is until you came into my life. I don’t want _any_ child. I want you to be the mother of my children, and if it takes a millennium or two… I will never regret any of the choices that led me to be at your side.”

Sarah said nothing, and that was unacceptable to him.

“Distressing over visions will get you nowhere,” Jareth said, reassuring her. “No more of this.” Sarah made a noncommittal grumble as her shoulders slacked in his arms.

“Have I made myself clear?” Jareth asked, a little more aggressive.

“Okay. Sure,” she mumbled. Suddenly, Jareth pushed Sarah on the mattress and pounced, pinning her to the bed. He seized her wrists and restraining them on either side of her head.

“I’m not one to deal with false words and flattery,” he slowly whispered in her ear.

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” she snorted.

“Are you dismissing me?” Jareth asked in mock outrage. All of a sudden, he poked Sarah on her left side and the right.

“No! Don’t tickle me!” Sarah implored. “It’s too early!” But, he ignored her pleas as he lifted her shirt to continue the assault. She attempted to crawl away but Jareth still had her pinned at her waist, only allowing her to roll on her back.

“Stop touching me!” she laughed as she continued her attempt to escape.

“Now, why would ever want to do that?” he asked amusement coloring his voice as he continued his delightful attack. Sarah decided that since words wouldn’t work that she should take action. She rolled back over and grabbed his hands, ceasing his tickling. However, Jareth refused to concede defeat as he fought against Sarah’s restraint, their arms in a battle to control the other.

“Release my hands,” he bit out.

“If I let you go, are you going to continue tickling me?” she asked through gritted teeth, finding it difficult to hold him back.

“Of course,” he smiled.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Both turned their heads toward the loud device before eyeing each other.

“Get the phone,” Jareth ordered with a challenge in his voice.

“ _You_ get the phone,” she countered. “You know who it is.”

“Ah, but they’re calling for you,” he said, the phone continuing to ring.

“You’re just using that as an excuse to win,” Sarah snapped as her arms strained to hold him at bay.

“Oh my Precious,” he said, pitying her. Then, he pushed slightly against her hands, bringing them back to the sides of her head. “I had already won. I only wanted you to feel better about yourself.”

Annoyed that he was stronger than her, Sarah stuck her tongue out at him, before pushing him off her. Jareth rolled off the bed, laughing at her irritated mood, as he walked to the bathroom.

“Asshole,” she whispered before picking up the phone.

“Language, Precious!” he called out before closing the door.

“Hello!” Sarah said in a harsher tone than she intended. She quickly corrected herself. “Hello?”

“Hello? Sarah? Did I wake you?” Karen asked. “You really aren’t a morning person, are you?”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “No, you didn’t wake me. But yeah, not really a morning person. What can I help you with?”

“Well, I don’t want to be a burden, but would you mind watching Toby again?” Karen asked. “Robert has a shareholders meeting. The law firm has several branches. And the meeting is at the main one in Albany; it’s usually an all-day thing. And I’m spending the day in the city with some girlfriends, and Toby doesn’t want to come along for some odd reason.” Karen laughed at her own joke. “I feel like I’m asking too much from you two, but Toby is standing here insisting that you wouldn’t mind.”

“No, we wouldn’t,” Sarah said. “We can watch him.”

“I hope you don’t think we are taking advantage of you. Our normal sitter is out of town with her family. Are you sure about this?” Karen asked.

“Mom!” Toby yelled, loud enough that Sarah could hear.

“Shh!” Karen reprimanded. “At least, let us pay you; I’m serious about this. We pay the sitter thirty dollars an hour.”

 _Damn_ , Sarah thought. _That’s good money. They didn't pay me at all._

“No, no,” Sarah protested. “That’s okay. We really don’t need the money.”

“Well, can I get you something from the city?” Karen asked. “I’ll be spending most of my time in Manhattan, but I can go elsewhere to pick something up for you.”

Sarah thought over her question because she knew Karen wasn’t going to let this go.

“How about a Mets baseball cap?”

“Oh,” Karen said, a little shocked. “I didn’t take you for a sports fan. No wonder Toby likes you; he’s a Mets fan too. That should be easy to buy. When can Toby come over?”

“When were you planning to leave?” Sarah asked.

“Well, Robert already left, and I was already supposed to be gone, but Toby and I have been arguing for the past ten minutes…”

“He can come over now,” Sarah interrupted, knowing Karen’s habit of talking one’s ear off.

“Thank you again, Sarah. And tell Jareth that also. Oh! Toby’s out the door now,” Karen chuckled.

“It’s really not a big deal. And I’ll catch him,” she said before handing up the phone.

“So do we get the little gremlin for the day?” Jareth asked as walked out of the bathroom.

“He’s not so little anymore and yep,” Sarah said, putting on her pajama bottoms. “His plan worked.”

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. She walked down the stairs, rolling her eyes at Toby’s persistent knocking on the door.

“What’s up?” he cheerfully asked when Sarah opened the door. She looked behind him to see Karen waving as she got in her car and spun Toby around so he would see his mom.

“Wave back,” Sarah instructed. When Karen finally drove away, Sarah let Toby inside the house.

“So what are we going to do?” Toby asked.

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” she said. “I’m not a morning person, and you haven’t slept at all. Therefore, you’re going into the guest room.” Sarah pointed down the hall. “And sleep. And I’m going to go upstairs and sleep and when we wake up a few hours later, we’ll both be in a better mood so that we take on the day.”

“But I’m not tired,” Toby protested.

“Sure, you are,” Sarah said, pushing him toward the guest room.

“Fine, but I won’t like it,” he grumbled.

“I don’t really care,” she called back, walking out of the room, closing the door behind her. When Sarah made it back to her bedroom, she saw Jareth gathering his papers from the nightstand.

“Deciding to sleep some more?” he asked.

“Yes, and so is Toby,” she said, crawling into bed. “Wake us up no later than eleven, please.”

“That wasn’t quite asking, but you did say please,” Jareth stated. “Thus, I won’t allow you to sleep all day.”

“Oh you’re so kind,” Sarah said sarcastically.

“I know, it’s a shame others don’t appreciate that in me,” he said.

“Shut the door,” she replied in a grumpy tone before burying herself beneath the sheets.

After Jareth did as he was told, he made his way down the stairs. When he made to the end of the landing, he noticed Toby was sitting on the couch with the volume low on the television.

“You don’t follow orders well, do you?” Jareth asked more amused than upset.

“What orders?” Toby inquired, playing dumb.

“Think you’re clever?” he asked, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

“Oh come on,” Toby pleaded. “You’re not really going to send me to bed? I’m thirteen for goodness sake!”

Jareth unhooked his arms and gave Toby a slow clap. “Nice performance,” he smirked. “And, I thought you were twelve?”

“Totally had a birthday,” he said with pride. “A month ago.”

“Is that so? You know, in the Underground, thirteen is a big year,” Jareth said, forming a crystal in his hand. The crystal rolled across his hands back and forth as Toby watch, mesmerized.

“Catch!”

Then, Jareth tossed the crystal at the young boy. Toby fumbled the orb for a few seconds before being able to hold it steadfastly in his hand. The crystal changed in his hand into a large, brown leather bracelet. In the middle of the bracelet was an inlaid orange, red, and gold crystal bordered on either side by the same symbol.

“This symbol- It’s on that pendant you wear,” he said, examining the bracelet.

“Those visions you have are very vivid,” Jareth said, impressed.

“But why this color?” he asked.

“Colors of the phoenix,” Jareth explained. “The bird Sarah transforms into.”

“No way! She didn’t mention that!” Toby exclaimed. Jareth lifted his finger to his mouth. “Oh right, have to be quiet.”

“If you are going to disobey someone, don’t be reckless about it,” Jareth chuckled as he turned and walked to the kitchen as he noticed Toby following behind him.

Toby sat at the island and silently watched as Jareth pulled out of a low cupboard.

“You can cook?” Toby asked.

“Indeed,” Jareth replied, grabbing ingredients out of the fridge.

“Why not use magic?”

“No matter how much power one possesses,” Jareth said. “It’s always enjoyable to do things with your hands.”

“Whatever you say,” he mumbled as he placed the bracelet around his wrist.

Jareth grabbed a pan from the hooks above him but noticed Toby admiring his wrist. “Do you like it?” he asked.

“It’s kinda awesome. Thanks,” Toby said. “Does the crystal do anything?”

“No,” Jareth chuckled. “I’m not crazed enough to give you uncontrolled magic.”

Toby went to the fridge and then poured both of them a glass of orange juice. “Why is thirteen a big deal in the Underground?”

“The age one becomes an adult,” Jareth explained before sipping his drink.

“Awesome! So I’m adult now,” Toby stated. “Way better than waiting to be eighteen.”

“You weren’t raised the same as us,” Jareth clarified. “You are undeniably more juvenile than I was at your age.”

“Why is that?” he questioned. “What were you doing at my age?”

“Preparing to rule a kingdom.”

Silence stretched between them for several minutes as Jareth cut and diced several vegetables.

“Hey, what would have happened to me if Sarah lost?” Toby asked.

“Subjects of the Seelie Court adopt the children,” Jareth said, not looking up from the cutting board.

“But I didn’t ask about the other kids; I asked about me,” he clarified. Jareth gazed up from his work, giving Toby an approving smile.

“Very good. You learn quickly,” Jareth stated. “And sorry to bruise your ego, but Sarah running the Labyrinth was never about you. I was never going to keep you there.”

“Huh? If you didn’t care about me then…” Toby quickly put things together while Jareth gave him a knowing eye. “Eww,” he grumbled, scrunching his face in revulsion. “You guys are gross.”

“Love, Tobias,” Jareth said, snickering. “It makes the world go round. Although, I’ve heard humans say it’s money.”

“Love is so overrated,” Toby said dismissively. “You went overboard. Ever heard of flowers?”

“I believe you protest too much,” Jareth teased, turning to light the stove.

“I am not!” Toby vehemently protested. “Girls are just weird.”

“Sarah’s a girl,” he countered.

“She’s different, until you guys get to close,” Toby said. “Then it gets weird.”

“I’m beyond astonished that human males spend their early years shunning the very objects that they will later desire,” he said. “Making fools of themselves in the process.”

“Are you telling me that you faes aren’t running away from girls when you’re young?” Toby asked.

“No matter how old, the only time a male fae runs from the female is if he’s running toward another male,” Jareth smirked.

* * *

 

“Ah, you’re awake,” Jareth remarked as he watched Sarah dragging herself into the kitchen. “You have thirty minutes left before I dragged you out of bed. Hungry?”

“Yes,” Sarah answered, sitting at the island. “Has Toby gotten up yet?”

“He fell asleep about an hour ago,” Jareth said.

“Are you being serious? I told him to go to sleep like three hours ago,” she argued. Sarah was learning quickly how bad he was at following orders.

“And yet he went to bed an hour ago,” he said as he placed a plate in front of her.

“Oh, fancy,” Sarah swooned. “What is it?”

“A strata, and I’m always willing to impress you,” Jareth said. “Toby was impressed as well. Don’t tell him that there’s a recipe book over there.”

Saran snorted. “He’s not used to this. I don’t think Karen is able to cook eggs that aren’t rubbery and brown.”

“Before I forget,” he said while sliding a sheet of paper to her. “Cormac drafted the formal decree regarding the crowning of the new elf queen.”

“I guess that means he’s no longer hiding in the stables,” Sarah said as she wiped her hand before picking up the paper.

Jareth laughed before sitting next to her, sipping his coffee. “I miss him,” he said.

“The only thing you miss is tormenting him,” she said. “He’s getting better though. But I’ll need to talk to him when I get back. Cormac can’t run away from Kalin’s yelling. He’ll be running forever.”

“Hey, what’s up,” Toby yawned as he walked into the kitchen, looking a bit disheveled.

“Hey to you too. You suck at following instructions, by the way,” Sarah calling him out as she finished her plate.

Toby turned his ire toward Jareth. “Did you rat me out?”

“You never said I couldn’t,” Jareth shrugged, entertained by the situation. “Not that I would agree to that.”

“Oh come on. Guys got to stick together,” Toby reasoned.

Jareth stroked his chin, acting as though he was considering the young boy’s words. “Toby, you are a charming human to be around,” he conceded. “But I like Sarah infinitely more than you.”

“Woot!” Sarah yelled, raising her arms in the air in triumph. “ I win!”

“Boo!” Toby yelled, trying not to laugh. “So, not fair!”

“And, there it is,” Jareth said, clearing Sarah’s plate. “One of the many things you two have in common.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this chapter was originally over 10K words yet took place all in one day, I have decided to split it up. The second part will be posted in a few days.


	12. Chapter 12

_Come on over to my place  
Hey, you, we're having a party_

* * *

"What the bloody hell is this?" Jareth asked, a mask of irritation covering his face. Sarah walked over to him and looked at the painting in question.

"It's art," she explained.

"It's bullshit!" he countered, not even trying to disguise his anger.

"Don't be so loud," Sarah hissed.

"He's right," Toby muttered, staring at the same painting. "It is bullshit."

The trio went to a local contemporary museum, much to Toby's loud dissent. Yet Sarah didn't let his cries of protest affect her- she did warn him after all. However, Jareth was more than willing to go to a museum. He wasn't accustomed to the contemporary arts and viewed most of it as bizarre yet found himself enjoying the giant bronze spider and the various neon and pantone exhibits. But after spending nearly three hours in the museum, he nearly lost it when they walked into this small room.

"How the hell is this art?" Jareth asked but sounded more like a demand.

"Um," Sarah said, trying to think quickly. "The artist is… trying to-uh- show man's attempt at purity… and the ultimate-uh- futility in trying to gain that… yeah."

"This charlatan simply covered this white canvas in white paint," Jareth spat as he pointed at the painting as though it should be destroyed.

"I don't have all the answers," she sighed, walking away from him. Looking around the room, she noticed that all the paintings were white canvases covered in white paint. Deciding that they should leave before Jareth decided to level this section of the museum to the ground, Sarah suggested, "Let's get lunch."

As Sarah waited in line to order food at the museum's cafe, Jareth and Toby sat at a small circle table located near the end of the cafe, waiting for her to arrive.

"She better not get me one of those kid's meals," Toby said with disdain. "Dad still does that."

"Of course not," Jareth chuckled. "Sarah knows that you're a growing boy; you need your strength."

"Can I ask you a question?" Toby asked.

Jareth raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Always."

"Don't you guys have wedding rings in the Underground?" he asked. The question took Jareth by surprise, and Toby could tell. Jareth had fielded questions from the teenager for days now, but he didn't expect Toby to notice or care about such a detail.

"Among humans and anyone who marries a human, yes," Jareth answered carefully. "Everyone else, no."

"Sarah doesn't want one?" he asked. "I know she's not really human, but she was here for a long time."

"We're bonded but not married," Jareth explained.

"That's weird," Toby said. "How can you be bonded but not married?"

"We didn't intend on bonding," Jareth said. "At least, not the way it happened."

"How do you accidentally bond with someone?"

Jareth gave the boy a wicked smile while raising an eyebrow.

"Ugh, gross," Toby said, regretting asking that question. "Why can't the Underground be simple?"

"We have a flair for the convoluted," he said. "However, I will say that I always planned on marrying Sarah." Jareth placed his hand in the middle of the table, forming a crystal which then transformed into a small box. Toby looked to see Sarah ordering, before he snatched the box.

He opened the box. "Oh wow. When are you going to ask?"

"Yesterday, but then you came along," Jareth answered.

"Oops," Toby muttered, having the self-awareness to look remorseful. "Sorry."

Jareth grabbed the box, making it vanish. "No worries, Toby," he said, giving the teenager a reassuring smile. "It just wasn't meant to be."

"You believe in fate?"

"I hate the damn Fates," Jareth sneered. "But humans love hearing things like that."

"Ok, I might have gotten carried away," Sarah said, approaching them with two full trays. "But everything sounded really good."

"Are you expecting other people to join us?" Jareth asked as she placed the trays in front of them.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny," she said, sitting down. Sarah handed a plate to Toby. "Here, you get the turkey sandwich." She then handed a plate to Jareth. Though, he looked less than please with what she was offering. "It's barbeque pulled pork. It tastes better than it looks."

"And the rest?" Toby asked.

"Well, this is my sandwich, and over here is a cheese plate, and this is the hummus plate. And this is the quiche of the day- I think they said broccoli," Sarah explained, pointing to the various offerings. "It's looks like broccoli."

"You don't know for sure?" Jareth asked, bemused by her actions.

"Like I said before," she said, dismissively. "Everything looked good."

* * *

Tali appeared in front of the Palace gates, waiting for the guard to open the entrance. Ever since the attacks, anyone who entered or left the Palace had to physically walk through the gates. This rule was a pain in the ass for everyone, but she understood why this routine had to be done. When the gates finally opened, she walked through. She was about ten minutes early and decided to wait by the guard station.

"Visiting your mother again?" the fae guard inquired. "A little over dressed, aren't you?"

Tali looked down at her outfit, almost forgetting that she was wearing a formal gown.

"I'm not seeing her today, Artur," she answered. "I have to wait here for a few minutes to be escorted to the Unseelie Castle."

"Are you serious?" the elf guard asked. "Is this some sort of envoy that Her Majesty is sending?"

Tali didn't quite know what to say. She didn't really want to tell them why she was going there, but they would be wondering why she would go with Lochlan once he arrived. But, the guard suggesting an envoy was a good cover.

"Sure," Tali said, giving him a slow nod. "I'm an envoy, Owen. Just one of my many duties and stuff. Lochlan will be here shortly to take me there."

"I must say it's nice to no longer worry about the Unseelies like we did in the past," Owen admitted. "But it's very strange to have their king come through here."

"Does he give you a hard time when he comes through?" she asked.

"Yes," Owen and Artur answered emphatically.

* * *

 

Lochlan in his osprey form soared high above the city of Annwyn. He wanted to ensure that Tali was already waiting at the Palace gates. He still a little pride and refused to wait for her. He peered down and noticed that she was at the gates and talking to two of the Palace guards, laughing at whatever stupid and insipid comments those louts were spewing. Lochlan disappeared from the sky and appeared in his fae form immediately behind the half-elf.

"Hello, pet," he whispered into her ear. Lochlan grabbed her around the waist and covered her mouth, preventing her from turning around or speaking. Suddenly, they both disappeared in front of the two guards.

"Should we write that down in the log as an abnormal event?" Owen asked, still staring at the spot where Tali stood a moment ago.

"No, let that go," Artur said, walking back to their post.

* * *

 

Lochlan reappeared on the bridge that leads to his castle. As soon as he released her, Tali spun away from him, appearing irritated.

"Was that completely necessary?" she asked, smoothing out her hair because she knew he ruined it.

Lochlan pressed his index finger to his mouth and pointed to the side with the other. Tali turned around to see where he was pointing. At the edge of his moat, near the bridge, there were two large black horses with long flowing manes and luminescent golden eyes.

"Oh wow," Tali whispered. "Are those pookas?"

"Yes," he answered as he stood next to her. "Would you like to ride one of them?"

"No," she quickly responded while shaking her head. Tali gazed out onto the landscape and, even with the sun setting, she noticed that the area appeared to be bleak. "You don't have flowers here," she pointed out.

"I never said I did," Lochlan said. "I only told you that I disliked them." He hooked her arm around his and guided her to the castle doors.

"Why does it look so…"

"Barren?" he interrupted. "Because it's summer."

"Exactly," Tali said, look up at him as though he forgotten how seasons worked.

"Forgotten where you are already?" Lochlan asked. "The grounds are more bountiful after Samhain."

"Oh," she muttered. "Yeah, that makes sense." Two dark faes guard the doors to the castle, each giving a bow when Lochlan approached.

"Open the damn door," Lochlan sneered, glaring at the faes.

The two faes scrambled to open the doors to the castle. As he escorted her through the halls, Tali observed her surroundings. The stones of the castle were black with flecks of gold speckled throughout yet a discernible layer of dust covered the walls. The castle seemed to be deserted, especially compared to the Seelie Palace, where people were always walking the hallways. Spider webs adorned the high beams on the ceiling and the sconces holding the lit torches. When they took a left, she noticed the remnants of a several empty bottles in a corner, most toppled over, forgotten.

Lochlan was elated that Tali was so amenable, allowing him to escort her through his castle. He didn't know what to expect from her during their "date", as Sarah called these things, but he did know that he would have to try hard use restraint and keep his hands to himself. However, Lochlan wasn't accustomed to using restraint. Tali looked absolutely stunning in her light blue gown- it matched her eyes.

"Enjoying the scenery?" he asked.

"Not fond of decorating, are you?" Tali asked, crinkling her nose at the unkempt state of the place. "Or is that what you call the cobwebs, dust, and the spilled wine-which looked like it has been there awhile?"

As he prepared himself for her arrival, Lochlan considered finally cleaning up the place, which hasn't really been cleaned since his coronation, but he thought better of it. If she was going to be with him, she was going to see how the Unseelie Castle was in its normal state.

Lochlan couldn't hide his amusement. "It's nice to know which part of you is more elf than human. Find the ugliness physically unpleasant?"

"Is the entire castle like this?" she asked, growing a bit discomforted by what she saw around her. Lydia loved having her at the tavern because she would always keep her station clean.

"Only the public areas. Unlike the Palace, people aren't known to visit here. Why decorate when it's only me who would be looking at it?"

"A change of scenery?" she suggested. He appeared as though he was considering her idea.

"It's superfluous," he said before magically opening a set of doors.

"Or are you just lazy?" Tali smirked, looking at him out the corner of her eyes. Lochlan suddenly grabbed her and pushed her against the opposing wall, leaving her surprised and wide-eyed.

"Are you insulting me in my castle?" he murmured against her shoulder.

"It's only an insult if it's not true," she responded, her breathing erratic, recovering from the shock. Lochlan gently kissed her neck. He heard her breathe a small sigh as he felt her fingers her comb through his hair. Suddenly, she latched hard onto the base of his scalp, pulling his head away from her neck. Tali was able to pull him back far enough to stare into his eyes.

"Is that the dining hall?" Tali asked, gesturing to the room that he opened the doors to.

"Yes," he strained to answer while trying to free himself from her grasp and return to her neck.

"You promised me dinner," she pointed out, finally releasing her hold on him.

"Do you mind if I eat first?" he asked. Lochlan moved to close the gap between them, but Tali moved quicker. She sidestepped him and walked to the entrance of the dining hall. She looked over her shoulder, seeing a flustered Unseelie King.

"Aren't you going to escort me in?" Tali asked with a smile. "I assume there is actually going to be a dinner."

"I did say there would be, didn't I?" Lochlan said, approaching her. "I keep my promises." He hooked her arm around his again, leading her inside near the front of the table.

As he led her inside, Tali looked around the hall and noticed that he was truthful about only part of the castle being a hellhole. The dining hall was dark yet beautiful. The walls of the hall were dark brown, appearing almost black. The long table was black with classic grey padded chairs. The massive chandelier hanging in the middle of the room was a stark white-seemingly made of pearls.

Lochlan pulled out the chair for her, much to Tali's surprise.

"Shocked that I would _deign_ to hold a chair for you?" he asked as he took his seat at the head of the table. Tali opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it, realizing that she might say something that she would only regret.

Lochlan sighed in frustration as he rubbed his hands over his face. "I'm not a brute."

Tali reached over, quickly snatched his hand. "I never said you were. You just don't seem like someone who partakes in such a formality," she explained. "But then again it didn't seem like you were the type to invite someone to dinner."

"I'm not," he confessed.

"Then why did you invite me here?"

"It's nice to have someone to talk," Lochlan smirked, obviously deflecting.

"Please, tell me the truth," Tali said. She enjoyed his playful side, but the charade was wearing thin. This was going to be a short dinner if she was expected to tolerate this façade he kept projecting.

His smile fell as he thought over his words. "I like you," he admitted.

"Yeah, I'm not deaf or blind," she snorted. "But why?

"I enjoyed your presence from the moment I met you," Lochlan said, stroking his chin in contemplation.

"I slapped you when you first met me," Tali rebutted, confused.

"Your point?" he said with a smile. "However, I'm looking forward to some retribution." She released a nervous laugh.

"Are we going to eat soon?" she mumbled. Lochlan snapped his fingers and two dark faes walked in carrying plates. When the plate was placed in front of Tali, she tried hard to disguise her aversion to what she saw.

"So, how does it look?" he asked. She examined her plate again. Her nerves getting the best of her, causing her to wring her hands beneath the table.

"It looks… delightful," Tali replied, slowly, trying not to offend him. She picked up her fork, but Lochlan quickly seized her hand.

"What?" she asked confused.

"I endure many thing- being king of these borderline criminals and absolute insane beings requires such an attitude," he said, straight faced. "But there is one thing I refuse to tolerate and that would be lying. Since you are elf and human, you might be accustomed to telling untruths, but not with me." Lochlan gently released her hand and leaned back in his chair. "Now tell me, how does it look?"

Tali continued to eye the plate with wariness. The white plate stood out in great contrast to the chunky black sauce that was covering something- she couldn't tell.

_Eww, what are those brown and yellow chunks?_

"It looks like dog vomit," Tali whispered in disgust.

Lochlan barked out a laugh.

"Just as though I see no need in beautifying the castle," he explained. "My cooks see no need in making their dishes appear appetizing."

"You could make them," she offered.

"And why would I care enough to do that?" Lochlan stated, picking up his knife and fork. He noticed that Tali was still looking at her plate as though it would bite her back. "You should at least try the food before dismissing it. Things aren't always as they appear."

"I know," she conceded with a groan. She blew out a quick breath, readying herself as she made careful cuts into whatever it was on her plate. Lifting a piece to her mouth, she looked over to see Lochlan not eating; instead, he appeared to be holding back a laugh, although failing.

"If I get sick," she warned holding the offending food inches from her mouth. "I will do bodily harm to you when I get better."

A sly grin formed across his lips. "Is that promise?"

"Very funny," Tali mumbled before taking a bite. Her face transformed from wary disgust to one that was clearly pleasantly surprised. "Wow," she said with her mouth full of food. "Why is this so good?"

"I knew you would like it," Lochlan said, proud of himself.

"No, you didn't," she retorted as she continued to consume the contents of her plate.

"Never underestimate my ability to what my Little Bird wants," he said before taking a drink from his chalice.

Tali's face flushed bright red. "You should stop calling me that."

Lochlan placed his elbows on the table, leaning forward as his eyes bored into her, causing her to become restless in her chair, a predatory smile forming across his lips.

"I'll cease calling you that when you stop enjoying it."

* * *

"Maybe I should have accepted Karen's money," Sarah said, lying on the grass, gazing up at the stars. "Toby's going to eat everything. And you're not helping."

"Are you trying to blame me?" Jareth asked, as he sat next to her with a bowl of chips in his hand. "You bought half the café earlier today. And I thought we were on holiday; I'll eat what I want. And I'm not going to turn down whatever these creations that he wants me to try. The name alone has me interested."

"Where is he anyway?" she asked, sitting up to look at the back door to the house. "Toby!"

Finally, the teenager came trundling out of the house.

"You guys could help, you know," he huffed as he made his way toward the couple.

"Why help when this sight is utterly entertaining?" Jareth said. Toby carried two full grocery bags and a several barbeque skewers. He sat down opposite Sarah and Jareth with a cold, submerged fire pit in between them.

"I don't know why you thought we had to get that many supplies," Sarah said. "You can't really believe we can eat that many s'mores."

"Always think optimistically," Toby smiled. "My PE teacher told me that."

"PE?" Jareth asked, resting on his forearms.

"Physical Education," she answered. "Why would your PE teacher say that?"

"Maybe because I can't hit," he explained, shrugged. "Or throw. Or shoot. Or run fast."

"All that is over rated," Jareth said. "Now, tell me what this odd concoction that you insist we make."

Toby crawled over to the duo and dumped the contents of the bags out on the grass.

"You take these skewers," he said, handing them the spears. "And you're going to place a marshmallow at the end and roast them over a fire. I have matches here somewhere."

Toby blindly glided his hand over the grass, looking for the matches. Then, Sarah held up her hand and formed a red crystal. He stopped his search to stare at the crystal.

"Holy crap," Toby muttered. Suddenly, she tossed the crystal into the pit, generating a roaring fire.

"Jareth's not the only one with ability to do magic," she smirked.

"But I'm better at it," Jareth said. "Now, how do I make these smogs?"

"S'mores! They're called s'mores. Take the skewer I gave you and place a marshmallow on the end and place it over the fire," Toby said, demonstrating his instructions. "And once it's charred enough, put it in between the crackers with a piece of chocolate."

Jareth did as instructed. Nearly two minutes later, he bit into his creation.

"Whatever we don't finish here," he mumbled between chews. "We're taking these with us to the Palace. Bloody brilliant."

"Good job, Tobes," Sarah chuckled. "You have soothed the mighty Goblin King."

"I shall knight you and give you a tract of land," he said, roasting another marshmallow.

"I forgot that you guys like sweets," Toby confessed. "I just like burning the marshmallows. Mom always yells at me for burning them too much. Speaking of the Palace, can I have my room?"

"You and your demands," Sarah said, shaking her head at his brashness.

"Give him what he wants as long as he brings more of these," Jareth said, constructing another s'more.

"Sure, I'll give you your own room," she said, biting into her sandwich. "I'll paint a giant Yankee logo over the headboard."

"NO!" Toby yelled, spitting food out of his mouth. He dropped his s'more on the ground as he pointed an accusatory finger at her. "Blasphemy! Stone the witch!" Sarah laughed as the two fell to the ground, grappling with each other.

"Take it back!" he yelled.

"Never!"

More concerned about his exquisite sandwich than the sibling bickering, Jareth said, "Let's put a hold on stoning witches until we're finished with these snores."

* * *

"So, why do the dark faes and dark elves keep fighting with each other?" Tali asked as she walked away from Lochlan as they walked along the battlement of the castle. "Shouldn't they get along?"

Lochlan huffed out an irritated breath as he stalked toward her. For the past hour, since they left the dining hall, Tali had been asking him questions about him and his kingdom. He was getting tired of this genuine interest she had in him and his work.

"No one gets along here," he said as he reached around her waist, drawing her flushing against his chest. "My job mostly requires that no one gets the bright idea to slaughter everyone else around them. Enough with these questions."

Lochlan dipped his head to kiss her, but she squirmed in his arms, pushing him away.

"You haven't asked one question about me since I got here," Tali chided, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why would I do that?" he asked.

"Because you don't really know anything about me!" she responded, dropping her arms at her sides with a loud thud.

"Since you decided to partake in the odd human ritual of having two names," Lochlan calmly began. "Your full name is Tali Fatima, born during Imbolc, a hundred and seven years ago. Your father, Rami Fatima, was human, deceased-wished away because of a physical abnormality, clubfoot and some other infection, I believe. Your mother is Rosaleen, a wood elf originally from the city of Muirias but left before the beginning of the First Great War. Aged four thousand two hundred and fifty three, she now lives in Oasis Steppes, recently retired as an educator due to your gracious assistance. Prior to being at the Palace, you worked at Priests Inn, mostly as a barkeep, but sometimes helped as a server when nights were busy. The patrons there praise your cocktail making abilities. Your former bosses appreciated your punctuality and workplace cleanliness. Most of the magic you possess is sub-par even for an elf, but your healing skills surpass that of the faes."

Tali gawked in disbelief, frozen where she stood.

"Furthermore, from the age of thirty seven to seventy six, you had a pet cat named Wabbit," he continued. "That's an odd name for a feline now that I think about it."

"How'd you know all that?"

"I asked around," he shrugged.

"You spied on me," she accused.

"Although semantics aren't my strongest suit," Lochlan said, regarding his hands. "That claim seems harsh."

Tali was beside herself with disbelief. "I can't believe you did that; you dug through my past."

Lochlan gave her a smirk as he held on to her shoulders, gently massaging them.  
"Is that really so far-fetched for me to do?"

"When did you start _asking around_?" she asked, still a bit upset, but cooling down-no doubt due to his ministrations.

"Shortly after your slap to the face," he admitted. Lochlan reached out to caress her cheek with his thumb. "I told you that you made an impression on me. Have I troubled you, pet?"

Tali scrutinized him before rolling her eyes, accepting defeat. "I shouldn't be surprised," she sighed. "You're unscrupulous and have no boundaries."

"It's about time someone understands me," he purred before capturing her lips with his own. His kiss was hard and intense as he grabbed the side of her face, seizing control while Tali kissed back the same level of passion, clutching his back. She forcefully pulled him back from her.

"From now on," she said, panting heavily, as he rested his forehead against hers. "You ask me if you have any questions _about_ me."

"So many question I have for you," Lochlan whispered in her ear as his hands caressed her hips.

"Like what?" Tali asked as his breath tickled her neck. He captured the hem of her dress, slowly raising it up her leg.

"How much of an exhibitionist are you?" he asked before latching onto her neck.

Tali felt her nerves rising, anxiety washing over her like a wave- a feeling she didn't like at all.

Holding him back by the shoulders, she gazed down at the stone floor. "Not enough for you and definitely not tonight," Tali said, shakily. "We're moving too fast."

"I don't know what that means, but I'm going to call bullshit," Lochlan growled. When she gazed up to look at him, he saw the look of nervousness in her eyes. He released her gown as he let out a sigh. He seemed so tormented, conflicted. He told himself over and over in his head that he still needed to hold on to his restraint. Lochlan took her face again and placed a small kiss on her lips.

"I hate when you looked at me that way. Hurting you is the last thing I wish to do," he swore. "Never look at me that way again."

"I'm just-I'm getting tired," Tali demurred. She moved to the side as she walked away from him.

"Where are you going?" Lochlan called out as he stalked toward her. She turned around, giving him a confused frown.

"Um, home," Tali said, wondering if he was purposefully ignoring her objections. "I don't want to do that exhibition stuff or any stuff. No funny business."

Lochlan chuckled he lifted her hand, pressing his lips to the back of her hand.

"Stay with me tonight," he requested.

Frustration rising inside her, Tali looked to the side and shuffled her feet. "I already said…"

"No _funny business_ ," he said, mocking the phrase. "Just spend the night with me. There will be no business nor will anything be funny."

She stared up at him, taken aback at his request. "Um, I didn't bring anything to sleep in."

Suddenly, they transported, and Tali moved away from Lochlan to regard her new surroundings. These chambers were larger than any bedroom she had ever seen, but smaller than she would imagine a reigning king possessing. The room was longer than it was wide. A door, presumably to the hallway, was in the back corner of the room, directly behind them, while the bed was posted against the farthest wall. An empty fireplace sat in the middle of the long wall. A set of doors leading to the balcony sat next to the fireplace and across from the bed.

"Guest chambers?" she asked, turning back to him.

"No. Mine," Lochlan smirked. "I prefer an… intimate environment."

"Oh geez," Tali said, feeling her cheeks warming. She placed her hand on her hips. "So, how are we doing this?" She immediately regretted her choice of words when she saw Lochlan's face darken. "I still mean sleeping. Don't get any ideas." Tali was certain their relationship was going to be based on her not getting riled up with the words he says.

"Your control over me stops with my thoughts," he said, walking to a door. "I think what I want."

Lochlan gestured her to follow him as he walked through the door. When she walked through, she soon noted that they were in his closet. Grabbing a black shirt from a hanger, he handed her the top and pointed to another door at the end of the closet. "Bathroom is that way."

Tali took the shirt and began walking to offered bathroom. Realizing that he was being very gentle and controlled around her, she thought it would be fun to mess with him like he always did with her. She turned around and noticed the tension in his body was imminent, barely holding on to his ability at self-control. His hands were balled into a fist at his side.

"You know, it's going to be difficult to sleep in this," she said, holding the shirt up to her body. "I normally sleep naked. I think this will make me itchy."

Lochlan's nose flared as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't want to play games with me, Little Bird," he warned. "I always win."

Tali slowly backed away into the bathroom, still facing him. "Having a hard time not following me?" she asked, grinning and fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Pet, if you keep looking at me like that…Walk away from me, elf," he snarled as Tali laughed before closing the bathroom.

* * *

It was early in the evening when Karen came by to pick Toby up nearly twenty minutes ago. Even though he didn't want to leave, they had to tell him goodbye. They would return to Underground tomorrow and Toby would be heading off to camp.

" _When will you guys be back?" Toby asked before he left._

" _Maybe at the end of summer," Sarah answered._

" _That's a long time," he sighed._

" _That's the way it is," Jareth shrugged._

_Sarah couldn't believe they were going through this again. "We're busy and so are you," she said. "Did you forget? You'll be gone at camp for five weeks…"_

" _Six," he corrected with a grumble._

Now, Jareth and Sarah were sprawled on the grass next to each other, staring up at the stars, relishing the silence between them.

"You know, if you keep eating those, you're going to get cavities," Sarah said as she turned her head to see Jareth eating another s'more.

"Nonsense," he scoffed. "I could eat these forever.

"Are you going to tell the kitchen staff about these?" she asked. "They'll think you're crazy, I'm sure."

"Just in case I haven't told you," Jareth said, turning his head to look at Sarah. "You look absolutely ridiculous in that hat."

Sarah reached up to adjust the baseball cap on her head. "Don't be jealous because your massive hair wouldn't fit under this."

Jareth let out a snort before finishing his s'more.

"By the way, I didn't ask," Sarah said, turning on her side to face him. "Why was Lochlan here?"

"He wanted tea," Jareth answered. At the sight of Sarah's straight face, he said, "Lochlan's not used to change, and when that change directly affects him, well, all this should be fun to watch."

"This is all amusing to you?" she asked.

"And it's not to you?" he countered. Sarah shrugged her shoulders in acquiesce.

"I wonder if he asked her to dinner," she asked, lying on her back again.

"If he's barging into the Palace tomorrow," Jareth said. "We'll have our answer."

"Nice of you to take the passive way about this, but I'll just bombard Tali with questions," Sarah stated.

"Girl talk," he sneered. "As though you have nothing else better to do," Sarah reached over and slapped him on the shoulder.

"Don't act as though you don't like me talking about you," Sarah said.

"I never claimed that I don't have narcissistic tendencies," Jareth declared.

"Tendencies?" she said, raising her eyebrows at him. "Nice to know you're also deranged as well. I always suspected- but it's nice to know this for certain."

Suddenly, Jareth was on top of her, throwing her hat aside as his warm breath tickling her neck. His hand snaked into her hair, pulling her neck taut. He nipped her shoulder, eliciting a sigh from her lips.

"Want to know how deranged I can be?" he hissed in her ear.

* * *

Dressed in one of his shirts that hit her past her knees, Tali peered out of the bathroom expecting to see Lochlan waiting for her. But not seeing him, she cautiously left the lavatory, making her way through the closet. When she came to the door leading to his chambers, she spun around, ensuring that he wasn't behind her. She refused to accept that he simply left her alone to change peacefully. Yet, he wasn't there. Walking out into the chambers, she quickly noticed that he wasn't there either. Strolling over to the balcony, she walked out to see that he wasn't there either.

"Where did he go?" she frowned.

"Miss me, pet?" he whispered in her ear, startling her. Tali jumped in surprise as she spun around to face him.

"You scared me," she accused.

"I know," Lochlan said, pleased with himself. "Concerned about where I was?"

"So, what if I was?" Tali said with a shrug. "Where'd you go?"

Lochlan was speechless for a moment, shocked that Tali admitted that she was troubled about his whereabouts.

"A group of dark faes decided they would get drunk and fight a draugr," he finally said. "And they were losing. But it's been dealt with."

Tali crinkled her nose. That sounded like a quagmire that she didn't want to involve herself in at all.

"Well, everything about your life is offbeat," she calmly acknowledged as she left the balcony.

Lochlan anticipated many of her possible reactions to what he just told her, but none of those situations included her composed acceptance. He left the balcony as well, walking into his chambers to see her sitting up in his bed.

"Am I sleeping on your side?" she asked apprehensively, as she pulled the comforter closer to her body. "I know I'm particular about that stuff."

To his surprise, Lochlan's throat went dry. "You can sleep where you want," he said quietly.

Tali gave him a lopsided smile as she lay down on a mountain of pillows that cradled her head.

"Are you going to stand there, or are you going to join me?" she asked. "I doubt you asked me to stay over so you can stand in the corner."

Lochlan swiftly removed his shirt, throwing the garment to the grown. A small hitch in Tali's voice, brought his full attention back to her. Eyes wide with surprise, she leisurely got out of the bed and walked toward him.

"You didn't you tell me you had tattoos," Tali whispered as her fingers glided over his bare shoulders and then down one of his arm. The markings went across the back of his shoulders, down his arms and the sides of his body, resembling Celtic knots, swirling around his body.

"Is that what you call them?" he asked, reveling in her touch.

"I guess that's what humans call them," she said. "Why do you have them?"

"The previous king had them," Lochlan struggled to explain as Tali continued to observe his body. "He wanted me to have them as well."

Holding his arm, she looked up at him and asked, "Did it hurt?"

"Like hell," he answered, tersely.

"So did mine," Tali chuckled, holding up one of her hands to him. Lochlan held her hand and turned it over, placing a kiss on her henna imprinted palm. A deafening yowl echoed through the room.

"Get in bed," he ordered, annoyed by the interruption. "My attention is apparently needed."

* * *

"Are you ready, Powell?" Sawyer asked the small male fae in front of him. He held out his hand which held a pack to him.

"Of course," he said, taking the offered bag, determination lacing his voice.

"You realize that you won't make it back," Odhran spat. "You're on a fool's errand."

"Ignore him; he's drunk," Sawyer said with derision. "You'll absolutely make it back. You'll be fine. We'll leave here and make camp in the woods bordering the troll and centaur kingdoms." Sawyer turned to see Odhran leaning against a tree, gulping down a chalice of wine. "Actually, once you make it out, come back here and meet Odhran."

Odhran head quickly turned to face Sawyer. Before he could voice an objection, Sawyer stopped him. "Enough with your whining. You're just like Eòran. We need to put you to good use."

Although he hated the idea of being told what to do, Odhran couldn't deny that the idea of getting away from Sawyer was tempting.

"Fine," he grumbled, sliding down the tree to sit.

"Okay. Will do," Powell said with a stern nod.

As Powell turned to make his way out of the camp, Odhran yelled, "Nice knowing you!"

* * *

Tali rested on her side in bed, falling in and out of sleep as she normally did at night. Her body had a pattern of when it woke up during the night, and judging by how many cycles she's been through, Lochlan had been gone nearly two hours ago.

She wasn't good at perceiving a shift in magic, but she knew when he came in by the small creaks the floor made when he walked in. Tali briefly thought of how that was another thing he could easily fix but obviously decided against it. A few minutes past before she felt the mattress dip, evident of his arrival. An arm wrapped around her waist as she felt herself being pulled back against his chest. Lochlan kissed the exposed skin on her upper back.

"Don't float away on me," he muttered into her hair, causing her to giggle.


	13. Chapter 13

_Darling you send me  
I know you send me_

* * *

Jareth paced back and forth in his office while Sarah anxiously sat in the chair across his desk, biting one of her nails- a habit she developed thanks to being around Jareth. They arrived early in the morning in the Goblin Kingdom because Sarah wanted to delay as much as possible the hectic flood of people approaching her once she made it to the Palace. Once they reached his office, she decided to tell Jareth a plan she'd been mulling over for the past few days. She still hasn't fully adjusted to making potentially high risk decisions on her own. While she felt that she did a satisfactory job following her coronation, in the clear light of day, Sarah was less sure of her idea- one more reason why she wanted Jareth's approval.

"This is a good idea, right?" she asked. "I know you would want this to go a different way, but I think this is better- more proactive."

Jareth finally stopped pacing and walked over to his desk, sitting on the edge. "You won't let me torture him again, are you?"

"No," Sarah stated, rolling her eyes. "How is that proactive?"

"I never said it was," he smirked. "But, you're right. We should be more active, and this is probably is the best way to go about it." A smile broke out across her face; she tried hard not to pat herself on the back.

"I'll head back to the Palace," she said, standing from her seat. "We should get this started as soon as possible."

"Wait until I arrive before you send someone. I would like to help oversee this," Jareth instructed. "I should arrive shortly after lunch."

"Really? I come up with the plan, but you're going to take the credit?" she asked, still smiling. "I don't think I can stand for this."

"I never said I would take the credit. I'm simply helping- forcefully," he said with a lopsided grin as he reached out to gather her in his arms. "Who said being Queen would be difficult?"

"Everyone," Sarah answered, tucking her head under his chin. "Even you said it would be hard."

"I said it would be trying at times. I simply wanted to prepare you," Jareth said, kissing her top of her head. "Be proud of yourself if this works out."

"And if it doesn't?" she asked, a spike of anxiety running through her.

"I won't make fun of you too much," he laughed.

"This is serious, Jareth," Sarah said, pulling away from him.

"And what do you want me to say instead?" Jareth asked. "No good could possible come from overthinking this and attempting to parse out what the absolute worst could be."

"You're right, I guess," she reluctantly conceded.

"Of course, I'm right," he stated. Jareth grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to him. "You'd do best to remember that."

"I believe humility is a virtue," Sarah whispered as she felt his hands gently caress her hips. Her hands rested on his shoulders, mostly for balance.

"I never claimed to be virtuous," Jareth muttered against her lips before softly kissing them. "Stop crediting me with attributes that I don't have and, frankly, don't want."

"You're so difficult," she said, attempting to walk away from him. However, Jareth snatched her wrist and dragged her back to his chest. "What are you doing?" Sarah asked, hoping to feign annoyance, but she couldn't help by laugh.

"Where are you going?" he asked, almost as a dare, as he sat her on the edge of his desk.

"To the Palace, remember?" Sarah answered. "I'm queen. I have things to do there. We've discussed this."

"I'm not a fan of how this fabric feels," Jareth muttered as he ran his hands up and down her thighs. "I should get rid of it."

"No! Stop it!" she protested, unable to move away due to the hold he had on her legs. "I have to go to the Palace. Let me go!"

"That's what your mouth says…"

"And my body says that too," Sarah countered.

" _Lies_ ," he whispered harshly before his hand threaded into her hair as his mouth consumed hers in unrestrained desire.

"Dammit," she exhaled in defeat as she allowed Jareth to lower her on his desk.

* * *

The light shining through the balcony disturbed Tali from her sleep, causing her to turn away from the rays. She haphazardly placed her hand down on the bed, noticing the empty area. Tali's eyes snapped open to observe that her initial thought was correct: Lochlan wasn't here. She sat up in bed, allowing a loud yawn to escape. Although she wasn't accustomed to sleeping in someone else's shirt, she couldn't deny how soft the fabric felt against her.

Looking straight ahead, Tali had a chance to notice his chambers fully. It was clean and simple- no ornaments or the like, except for the chandelier hanging in middle of the room. The four poster bed with black sheets loomed large in the morning light than it did the night before.

Tali saw something in the corner of her eye that wasn't there last night. She looked to her left and saw a bouquet of white roses in a vase sitting on the small table next to her. She didn't know where he got the flowers from, but the fact that he got them for her brought a smile to her face.

The sound of the door opening caught her attention as she watched Lochlan walk in carrying a large tray.

"Ah, you're awake," he said, placing the tray down by the small table setting situated against the wall.

Lochlan woke up early as he did every morning. But this morning in particular, he felt conflicted about leaving his bed. He had work to attend to but he didn't want to leave Tali's side. Holding her in his arms had him to feel as though he was coming undone, and he wasn't quite sure if he loved or hated that sensation. Probably both if he was being honest with himself. He's never had anyone in his bed before, but he realized how easily he could become accustomed to it.

"Yeah, I just woke up," Tali admitted. "Sarah's returning today. I need to return to the Palace soon."

"Running away from me already?" Lochlan accused. "Come eat before you escape from my castle."

"I'm not running away from you," she chided him as she made her way out of bed, walking toward the table. "I have obligations, remember?"

"You're saying awful and tedious words right now," he said, catching her around the waist.

Although he tried to kiss her, Tali placed her hands against his chest, keeping his mouth away from hers. "Did you bring food in here only for it to get cold?"

"You and your meals," Lochlan teased, leading her to the table.

"Your chefs make great food," she said as she sat in a chair he held out for her. "Even if the food they cook makes them seem as though they have a mental illness."

"They might," Lochlan shrugged as he as down across from her. "I've never asked any of them." Tali snickered as she began eating.

"What's this?" she asked, pointing to a very small glass filled with clear liquid next to her plate.

"Try it," Lochlan ordered with a smile.

"What. Is. It?" Tali asked again, giving him a suspicious glare. She'll eat the food that looks weird, but there was no way she would drink a strange liquid. Tali did that once during her early days working at the bar. A human introduced her to absinthe. _Never again_ , she told herself.

"Poitín," Lochlan answered as he grabbed his glass and tossed the liquid back. His neck strained as the liquor went down, strong and smooth. "Seelie elves make wine; my elves make this. Sarah and I have finally come to an agreement to sell it throughout the Court. Try it."

Tali heard a little about poitín, but word was that the Unseelies refused to sell it to anyone. She held the glass up with caution as peered into the glass. Breathing a heavy sigh, she steadied herself before knocking the drink back. Harsh and unpleasant were the nicest things she could say about this beverage.

The burn in her throat caused her to cough while Lochlan's laughter rang out throughout the room. Tali nearly cursed him out when she realized that he was at her side, kneeling, with a chalice of water in one hand while the other soothed her back. She grabbed the cup and drank the soothing liquid before loudly placing the chalice on the table.

When she finally was able to talk, Tali turned to him and croaked out, "That wasn't nice." Against her will, tears formed and threatened to fall due to the cruelty that beverage caused her senses. Lochlan reached up and gently wiped away wetness from her eyes.

"But your face was exceptionally comical," Lochlan said as he rose to his feet and then kissed her on her forehead.

"People actually like that stuff?" she asked while he returned to his seat across from her.

"People _love_ that stuff," he said. "Unseelies have long used poitín to lure humans and faes alike into unsavory deals."

"So why are you now going to sell it to the Seelies?" Tali asked as she started to eat again.

"If it's sold there, the need to come to Unseelies will no longer be an issue," Lochlan said.

"Why do you care about the fate of the Seelies?"

"I don't," he acknowledged. "But I care about Sarah, and she cares about her people. Plus, lining the coffers is always an incentive."

"And the dark elves are okay with this?"

"They still have the Aboveground," he said with a sly grin.

Soon, a comfortable silence stretched between them as they enjoyed their meal.

"When are you leaving with Sarah?" he inquired, not looking up from his plate as he pushed food around with his fork.

"Are you planning to stalk me?" she asked.

"It's only stalking if you don't know about it," Lochlan stated, finally looking up. "So, when do you leave?"

"Tomorrow," Tali answered. "Which is why I need to leave soon."

"Calm yourself, Little Bird," he said. "I only considered tying you to my bed once. All right, actually twice."

That seemed too measured for him. Tali didn't believe him, and her face showed it.

"Fine," he conceded. "I'm still considering it."

"You can't just keep me in here forever," she said, grinning at him.

"Is that a challenge?" Lochlan purred.

"No," she said emphatically. "I'm not challenging you to anything."

"That's a shame," he professed. "I do love confrontation."

"Well, you're out of luck. I don't feel like deal with that today." Having finished her meal, Tali stood up which caused Lochlan to stand as well.

"You didn't finish your food," Tali pointed out.

"My affinity for food is drastically eclipsed by my affinity for you," Lochlan said. "Are you sure you don't want to stay? You look striking lying in my bed."

"Nice line," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Do you tell all the ladies that?"

The smile that was one Lochlan's face dropped and formed into a twisted snarl. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the shoulders, dropping her to the bed as his weight pushing her into the mattress. The shock that Tali felt was evident in her eyes, wide with alarm as she began to breathe irregular. She didn't say anything as he nipped the side of her neck until he reached her ear.

"It seems as though we have communication problem," he hissed in her ear. "You don't seem to realize how special you are to me."

"What do you mean?" Tali breathed.

Lochlan pushed against his arms, hovering a bit over her. "I don't make a habit of doing any of this, and you're the only creature besides me who has been in this bed with me."

"Oh," she whispered. "I didn't know that."

"Now, you know," he murmured as he descended back onto her.

"You make me feel special," Tali admitted quietly.

"As you should," Lochlan concurred. "So, about you staying here…"

"Whatever happened to me saying that I need to leave?" Tali said pushing him off her to the other side of the bed. "And that we're moving too fast."

"I believed those to be negotiable matters," Lochlan said as he tried to grab her by the shirt, but she rolled off the bed in time.

* * *

"Oh, Your Majesty, you're back," Cormac said as Sarah opened her chamber doors, his hand in the position to knock.

"Yeah, I'm back," she sighed, closing the door.

"May I ask if Her Majesty is planning to wear that all day?" he timidly asked.

Sarah looked down to see what he was referring to, forgetting that she was wearing jeans and t-shirt. This outfit was way better than her standard gowns-which she was not ready to return to.

"I am," she answered, knowing that Cormac found this particular part of her wardrobe odd. "I'm guessing you have a lot of work for me, since you came down here." They both walked down the hall on the way to her office.

"I was about to check if you were here," he said, trailing behind her. "There's not much for you to do, per se, mostly a lot for you to review and approve."

"Awesome," Sarah said, sarcastically, as she quickly walked down a set of stairs. "Is this concerning the excursion we have planned?"

"Yes," he replied. "Hopefully, we can get through all that in a timely manner."

"That's all I can ask for, I guess," she said. "And before I get side tracked, make sure I go to the dungeons to speak to Eòran before noon."

"Um- all right," he said, hesitantly. However, his Queen seemed confident about the request so he would be too. "Also, I'm not quite sure if you are aware of this or not, but Tali went to the Unseelie Castle yesterday, and she hasn't returned. She wasn't here for breakfast. The others were beginning to murmur. Should we be concerned?"

Sarah stopped her walking as a knowing smile formed across face. Not turning to face her advisor, she said, "No, she's fine." Sarah began walking again. "Tali's okay. No one needs to worry."

"What should I tell the others," Cormac asked, struggling to keep up as they went down another set of stairs.

"Tell them it's none of their damn business," she snapped. "She probably went to her mother's later." Sarah decided to cover for her friend in case the rumors got out of hand. "They don't get to know everything that is happening. That's my job."

"Yes, ma'am. Of course, ma'am," he said apologetically. Sarah let out frustrated grunt as she rounded the corner before turning around to face him.

"Stop calling me that!" she ordered.

"Why is that? Scared that you'll be mistaken for an elder like the rest of us?" said the amused voice behind her. Sarah spun around to see Taggert waiting by her office.

"You are nowhere close to being an elder. And, I feel like I should be knitting something for my grandchildren when someone calls me that," she said, approaching him. "How are you, Taggert?"

"If it makes you feel better, I still cringe when someone calls me 'sir'," he admitted. "And I'm doing well. Haven't seen you like this in a long time."

"You mean my clothes? Yeah, there's a hat to go with it," she said as she entered her office with him following. "Jareth refuses to let me wear it here."

"What is a met?" Taggert inquired.

" _Mets_. You have to say Mets. It's always plural," Sarah clarified as she sat in her chair. "It's an Aboveground sports thing. They're my brother's favorite team."

"Brother?" he said, raising a quizzical brow as he moved a chair over to sit across from her.

"It's a long story," she answered, glibly. "One day, I'll explain it all to you. So, why are you here? I see you're in a good mood. I guess that means Kalin didn't go through with her half-baked plan."

Taggert rubbed a hand across his forehead. "Shit. I didn't realize she went all the way to you with this. I doubt she had the time or thought to apologize. So let me apologize for her."

"It's fine; everything is fine," she said, trying not to laugh at the thought of those day's events. "It's all hilarious now that it's in the past."

"Kalin's a handful, that's for sure," he acknowledged. "Which is why I'm here actually."

"Okay," Sarah said suspiciously.

"No, no," he chuckled. "No reason to be concerned. The purpose for me… From what I heard, most of us are planning special events for your arrival…"

Sarah released a groan. "I only want to visit. You don't have to go overboard. No one has to do that."

"Too bad," Taggert snickered. "You already have a large crowd of royal admirers planning to follow your route to see you throughout your trip. There's no ruler in his or her right mind that would let this opportunity go to waste."

"And what do you have planned?"

"Kalin recommended a head butting contest," he replied causing Sarah to laugh.

"Please tell you'll do that," she said, trying to control herself. "If you're looking for maximum entertainment, that's what you should do."

"Actually, I do have that planned. My people are already placing wagers on the participants. But I haven't decided whether to propose in her castle or mine," Taggert said as he pulled out a piece of paper from a satchel he had slung across his back. As he handed it to Sarah, he said, "I hope you don't take offense that this might take the attention away from you for a moment." Sarah snatched the piece of paper, quickly scanning the document.

"First, I never care if attention is taken away from. In fact, I prefer it," she said, before her face lit up. "And you're going to propose! This is great. Finally, I know something before she does. How are you going to do it?"

"I haven't thought everything through, but I'll try to make it _fabulous_ as Kalin would say," he smirked while rolling his eyes. "I better or she'll have my throat. My blacksmiths are already creating the gift I plan to present to her." Sarah signed her name to the approval letter that Taggert gave her before returning it to him. The sound of Cormac clearing his throat caught Sarah's attention.

"Your appointment, Your Majesty," he said.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, shocked that she forgot her own matter. "I'm sorry, Taggert. I have somewhere to be."

"No time for a centaur," Taggert said, feigning insult as he stood up. "I know how it is."

"Oh please, shut your face," Sarah teased. "Leave before I decide to not like you anymore."

With a small chuckle, Taggert left, leaving her with Cormac.

"Would you like me to escort you to the dungeons?" he asked.

"No, I'll be okay," she responded. "I can handle this myself."

* * *

Much to Lochlan's frustration, he couldn't convince Tali to forgo her duties and this weird notion that they were moving too fast- whatever that meant. But when she finally told him for the last time that she was leaving, Lochlan refused to have her merely leave his castle unaccompanied. He transported the two of them to the Palace gates.

Tali noticed the guards where not the Artur and Owen, which was good since she was wearing the same gown from the day before. She wasn't as familiar with these two, but she decided to wave hello to them anyway. A low growl could be heard behind her before she felt Lochlan turning her around and crashing his lips against hers. She gasped in surprised, allowing his tongue entry, tasting her. One of his hands reached around to latch onto the base of her neck, not allowing her to retreat.

When his lips left hers, she whispered, "Don't make me push you in front of the guards." Tali felt the rumbling of his chest as he pulled away from her, laughing.

"Remember that you're mine," he said seriously but still with a smile in place.

"One date doesn't make me your anything," Tali smirked as she walked toward the opened gates, resisting the urge to look back to see Lochlan's face.

* * *

"Your Majesty!" yelled a disgruntled goblin. "It all his fault!" As he pointed a gnarly finger at the other goblin he was accusing.

"I didn't done any wrong!" the other goblin screamed, defending himself.

Jareth sat in his throne, eyes staring at the ceiling, silently willing these morons to stop shouting. Then, he remembered that he could tell them to stop.

"Quiet! Both of you!" he ordered. Avitus stood to the side, taking notes as he normally did, shaking his head at the situation in front of him.

"Now, let's go about this in a more civilized manner," Jareth sighed. This was his last court issue for the day; he kept reminding himself of that fact. "What is the matter at hand again?"

The two goblins began yelling their accusations at each other at the same time again.

"Silence!" Jareth yelled. He pointed to the taller of the two goblins. "Twitch, you go first."

"Likes I says," Twitch stated. "His fault that I fell off the bar!"

"Did you push him, Turpin?" Jareth asked turning his attention to the other goblin.

"I ain't push nobody!" Turpin countered. "I cut him off from the drinks, and he still no leave. He kept talkin' to strangers. Then, he choked on some nibbles an' passed out, fallin' to the ground."

"Blithering idiots," Jareth whispered to himself as he gazed out the window. "Is this true, Twitch?"

"That not the point," he argued. "My eye bruised for two days."

"What sort of retribution are you asking for?" Jareth sighed in exasperation.

The goblin shrugged his shoulder as though he hadn't considered the possibility of payback. "Free ale for life," Twitch said in a matter of fact tone.

"Twitch," Jareth said calmly, staring at the goblin.

"Yes?" he answered expectantly.

"Get out of my throne room!" Jareth shouted. "From now on, when someone stops serving you, you better leave."

Both goblins stood before him shaking in fear.

"Leave, both of you," Jareth ordered before seeing the two goblins run out of the throne room.

"Did you enjoy your holiday, Sire?" Avitus asked with a genuine grin on his face.

"Why did I return again?" he asked as he descended his dais.

"For the love you have for all your subjects," Avitus answered. At Jareth's questioning look, he shrugged. "Well, someone has to run this insane kingdom, and who better than you."

* * *

"Do you need me to accompany you, Your Majesty," an elf jailer asked Sarah after he gave her directions.

"He's chained and behind bars," she said. Sarah tried hard not to roll her eyes. The guard was only doing his job. "I'll be fine, Colin. Thank you."

Colin gave her a bow as she walked toward down the farthest corridor. She was told no one else was down there; her orders to have Eòran jailed alone were followed.

Sarah stood in front of the iron bars, seeing the fae lying on his bunk, gazing up at the wall, having not noticed her presence. She noticeably cleared her throat, garnering his attention.

"Your Majesty," he said more as a question than a statement. "I would never think that you would lower yourself to come visit me."

"Don't talk like that," Sarah said, dismissing his words with a wave. "I've come here to present to you a proposition. How would like the chance to commute you sentence? Let's say from treason to hooliganism- which is a fun word to say."

Eòran's eyes went wide hearing her statement. "Yes, yes. Of course," he said eagerly, approaching the cell doors. "What do you have need of me?"

"You get to play double-agent," Sarah said. "We need you to get a letter to this Sawyer."

* * *

"Tobias Robert Williams!" Karen yelled as she walked into his room, hands on her hips.

"What?" he asked, confused, removing the headphones from his ears.

"Have you even packed? We're supposed to leave for camp in an hour," she said. "Where are your bags?"

"Uh oh," Toby whispered. "I thought I was leaving Wednesday."

"Well, you're not; you leave today," Karen said, barely holding back her anger. "Don't just lay there. Hurry up. You got thirty minutes. Otherwise, we're leaving with just the clothes on your back."

* * *

"I knew you weren't being held hostage," rang the amused voice throughout the otherwise quiet library.

Tali looked up from her tome to see Sarah standing at the entrance to the library.

"Ugh, I knew I should have made it to breakfast," Tali groaned. "How bad are the rumors?"

"I tried to squash the rumors," Sarah said, sitting down at the table across from Tali. "But fair warning, the whispering has already started. Something about a kiss at the gates?"

"Whatever," she mumbled, slouching in her chair. "I don't care what they say anyway."

"This coming from the same person who was concerned about her reputation?" Sarah reminded her.

Tali didn't respond, but the rising blush on her face told Sarah all she needed to know.

"What are you reading?" Sarah asked. Tali answered by holding up the cover of the book.

"It's an encyclopedia of all the creatures in the Unseelie Kingdom," Tali responded.

"You know, that's from Lochlan's personal library," Sarah said. "All the Unseelie books before were basically horrible propaganda. So I got rid of them. All the books on the Unseelies came from him, actually."

"Hmm, that's interesting," Tali responded. "Did you know that red caps murder those who stray into their homes and then dye their hats with their victims' bloods- hence the red cap?"

"That is… not a fun fact," Sarah said, showing her distaste of that information on her face. "But thanks for telling me, I guess."

"It is very gross," Tali said quietly.

"So, are we going to sit here and pretend as though there's nothing to talk about," Sarah asked with a smile. "Or are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Really?" Tali complained.

"Hey, I told you when you met me that I was nosy," Sarah said. "You were warned."

Tali released a loud sigh. "You're going to be very disappointed. Nothing happened."

"It's almost impossible for nothing to happen when Lochlan's around," she refuted.

"Fine, but that look on your face that displays that you think a certain _something_ happened," Tali said. "Well, that didn't happen."

"Are you being serious right now?" Sarah asked, not believing her.

"Yes!" Tali yelled adamantly before realizing she was in the library. "Yes, okay," as she returned to her hushed voice.

"Settle down," Sarah said, laughing. "No need to get antsy."

"I'm not antsy," Tali snorted.

"You're very antsy and tightly wound, which proves you're telling the truth," Sarah said. "You definitely didn't get laid last night."

Tali's mouth dropped in disbelief. Covering her eyes with a hand, she said, "I can't believe you said that. Or maybe I should expect that. You did spend several days with just Jareth around you."

"He's a bad influence," Sarah agreed with a nod. "I appreciate that about him."

"That's obviously a family trait," Tali muttered.

"It's extremely useful that you learned that early," she said. "Makes everything much easier to deal with. Does that mean that I should be expecting Lochlan to barge through my office doors later?"

"No, he's not," Tali replied. "I told him to give me a day alone so I could get everything you need done and over with."

"And he agreed to this?" she asked, shocked that Tali was able to make such a deal with the overbearing fae.

"Well," Tali tried to explain. "I told him to leave me alone for the length of your tour…"

"He definitely wouldn't go for that," Sarah interrupted.

"That's a nice way to put it," Tali conceded. "If I can't get away for a few hours, he might just show up. You might want to warn the other royals about that."

"You're not my captive, Tali," Sarah asserted. "Feel free to go if there is nothing going on."

"Oh, okay," Tali said, a bit unsure about that. "But I'm not going to tell him that. I'll need to keep my distance for now. He overwhelms me sometimes."

"Another family trait," Sarah chuckled. "From the way Jareth speaks, I believe they got it from their mother. Or maybe their father- I forget."

"Is that so? He doesn't talk a lot about his parents," Tali admitted. "Actually he hasn't at all. He spoke a little about his uncle."

"Don't be too offended that he hasn't," Sarah said. "I had to be in a coma for a week for him to open up to me. But, I doubt you'll have to go through such an ordeal."

"So is my interrogation over?" she asked. "Or would you like to know more?"

"I always want to know more," Sarah answered. "But I'll give you a reprieve. Also, I need to you to pack my bags because I hate packing."

Tali shook her head, laughing. "No problem," she said, standing up.

"And you should pack up your room to," Sarah said. "You'll be moving."

"Where?" she asked, taken aback. "Why?"

"To the north wing," Sarah said. "I thought it was a bit crappy that my lady-in-waitings were in the servants' wing. You and the other ladies will have a lot more room and privacy."

"That's another thing I won't tell Lochlan about yet," she said, causing Sarah to laugh.

* * *

"Did you miss me, Eòran?" Jareth sneered as he approached the jailed fae's cell.

"Stop being combative. He's already in a cell," Sarah reprimanded. "Do you have the note ready?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said as he held out the note toward her. However, Jareth moved between the cell bars and Sarah, snatching the letter from his hands before Eòran could get anywhere near her. Jareth quickly read over the note, ensuring the validity of what was written before handing it over to Sarah.

"Thank you for allowing me to read the note," she said, sarcastically. After reading the note, she asked Eòran, "When do you think this note will get to them?"

"We moved shortly after the…attack. But based on his last location, two days by foot," he answered. "Sawyer may have moved them again, but I wouldn't know why. May I ask who you plan to send to the camp?"

"No," Jareth responded.

Sarah sighed in response to his outburst. "Jareth wants to send a resident of his kingdom, but I haven't decided," she said, giving Jareth side eyes.

"If I may make a suggestion…"

"No, you may not," Jareth interrupted.

"What is it?" Sarah asked him, becoming more annoyed with Jareth's antics.

"I believe it would be better if you sent someone that Sawyer might know, but not well," he offered. "Maybe someone who joined the Palace guard within the past year or so."

"Why is that?" she asked.

"Because no one there would believe if someone from his kingdom did this," he said. "It would be better for someone from the Palace ranks to accomplish this, someone young and impressionable."

An annoyed grunt came from Jareth. "He has a point," Sarah conceded.

"I know," he said as he walked away.

"Ugh, so difficult," she whispered to herself. "Thank you, Eòran. I believe tomorrow you should start receiving visits from your parents."

Eòran's face lit up. He had no idea that he had that privilege. "Her Majesty is most kind."

* * *

"All right, campers!" yelled one of the camp leaders. "You have one minute left to meet us outside your bunk!"

Toby groaned as he carefully hanged his bag off the side of the top bunk. An hour ago, he had been given the map to his assigned cabin. Luckily, he arrived before many of the other kids- therefore ensuring that he got the top bunk of the bed. While the parents received their own orientation about how safe camp was and how much fun their kids would absolutely have, Toby and the other campers were allowed an hour of downtime before the overly cheerful camp staff barged in. Toby has attended summer camp since he was six, so he was used to all of this. But, that didn't mean he liked all of it. There were kids who were overjoyed that they were at camp, and others who clearly abhorred it. Toby was in the middle: he wasn't thrilled with it, but it wasn't the worst way to spend a summer.

"Campers! Outside!" yelled the same camp leader. "Make sure you bring your map!"

Toby blew out a frustrated breath as he climbed down his bunk. All camp counselors were way too cheerful for him. Maybe if someone paid him, he would be overly happy to be here as well. There was no way he was going to pretend that playing flag football with strangers was the best thing that ever happened to him.

"Welcome to Camp Adirondack!" yelled the leader who ordered them out of their bunk. He was flanked by two smiling men- all three dresses the same: tan shorts and a polo with the camp logo on it. "We are the camp leaders assigned to your bunk. If you need anything, from sighing up for activities or wish to contact you parents, come to us. I'm Tyler. This is Jason, and this is Brian."

Some of the camper greeted them, but most of the others just gave a small wave, including Toby.

"All right," Tyler said. "I see some familiar faces, but I think we have a lot of new people. How many of you haven't been here before?"

Toby raised his hand as well as a few others. Following an altercation with some campers the year before, Karen decided to move him to a new camp. This one was an all-boys camp. Toby was not a fan of this camp already.

"Okay, okay," Tyler said, still smiling. "You will get a chance to see the camp fully throughout your six weeks here, but for now, we will take you on a little tour. Point out some things so you don't get lost. Follow behind us. Keep close. There will be other groups walking around as well. We hate for you to get lost on your first day."

Toby followed the group, hanging towards the back as Tyler, Jason, and Brian pointed out the mess hall, the football, lacrosse, and baseball fields, and the various aquatic areas for canoeing, fishing, and water polo. After nearly an hour of walking around, the tour came to an end.

"If you have any further questions, remember, you can always ask them," Jason said. "You guys have free reign until six thirty. Meet us at the flag pole at that time."

Toby approached Jason as the other kids ran in every other direction.

"Hey! What up, champ?" Jason asked. "Nice bracelet."

Toby had to resist rolling his eyes at the nickname. He gazed down at his wrist, nearly forgetting that he had the bracelet on.

"Thanks, it was a gift. So, um, Jason. So, I noticed the hiking trail- the map shows we can hike almost anywhere but has this part circled off." Toby handed the paper over the camp counselor, pointing out the anomaly. "So, what's up with that?"

The large smile that Toby previously believed was a permanent fixture on Jason's face fell but only a little. "Why you concerned about this? Look at all the places you can hike."

"Yeah, but if you mark something off and say I can't go there," Toby rationalized. "I'm going to want to know why."

"Ah, I get it. You're that kinda kid," Jason smirked. "Listen, some teenagers, in the past, went that way and wound up with sprained or broken legs. It's just not a safe area to hike. Like I said, you have a lot of other places to go."

"All right," Toby said, suspiciously, not trusting that answer.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing?" Jareth shouted as he walked into Sarah's office. She was behind him and moved to the side to see what caused such a commotion. Standing in the middle of her office was Lochlan, who was holding Cormac in the air by his throat, nearly two feet off the ground- the small elf clearly struggling.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here," Lochlan sighed as he carelessly released Cormac to fall on the ground.

"Urmph!" Cormac cried out as he hit the floor.

"What are you doing here?" Sarah asked as she walked around Jareth to stand in front of Lochlan. "You're not supposed to be here. Tali told me..."

"I told Tali I wouldn't bother her. I never said I would not come to the Palace at all," he clarified. "So, logically, I'm bothering you."

"Fantastic," Sarah groaned. "Why are you assaulting my advisor?"

"He wanted to know your tour schedule," Cormac said, massaging his throat as he retreated to the corner of the room. "And he threatened me. But no worries, My Queen, I didn't betray your confidence."

Lochlan looked over his shoulder to give the advisor a deadly glare.

"Are you okay, Cormac?" she asked him.

"Just a little out of breath," he answered, reassuring her.

"How about you not threaten my people," Sarah said, turning her ire to Lochlan.

"I didn't threaten him," Lochlan scoffed.

Sarah crossed her arms over her chest, displaying her skepticism.

"What? I didn't," Lochlan said, insulted that she doubted him. "I only told him that if he didn't tell me what I wanted to know I would throw him to a nøkken."

"How was that not a threat?" she asked, dumbfounded, arms at her side in exasperation.

"It was a joke," he reasoned with a shrug.

"How is that a joke?" Sarah asked, growing more annoyed with his antics.

"Jareth thinks it's funny," Lochlan stated as he gestured over her shoulder.

Sarah turned around to see Jareth covering his mouth with a gloved hand yet unable to hide the wide smile across his face. Her mouth frowned at the sight of his amusement.

"My laughter is not an endorsement of his actions," Jareth defending himself, struggling not to chuckle.

Words could not express how much he loved to see this side of Lochlan. Jareth imagined that he was much the same way with Sarah. Obsessiveness must have been a family trait. Once they were attracted to something, they never let it go. Funny enough, his mother told him that this habit came from his father rather than her. Thankfully, his nearly disastrous exploits with Sarah weren't well known by many people. Lochlan's actions were ensuring that both Courts would soon know he was pursuing Tali. But then again, maybe that was his goal.

"You two are terrible," Sarah said, still shooting daggers at Jareth with her eyes.

"Thank you," the brothers both said.

Sarah shook her head as she pointed to the door.

"Please leave, Cormac." The advisor wasted no time in running past all three to leave the office.

When the door closed shut, Sarah turned to the Unseelie King. "Why must you know where she will be?" Sarah asked. "She'll be with me. She's fine."

Lochlan walked over to her desk and began rummaging through her papers. "I have no doubt she'll be safe in your care…"

"Stop going through my stuff!" Sarah yelled as she pushed him away from her desk.

"The Queen doesn't like it when people touch her things," Jareth teased as he approached his brother. "It's an ongoing issue with her."

"Shut up," Sarah snapped.

"Why have you migrated back to wearing men's clothing?" Lochlan asked. "I thought that particular choice in wardrobe was simply a dreadful phase of your life."

"It's a peculiar item that women Aboveground wear," Jareth explained. "This androgynous look is tempered by the fact that it makes their bum appear _exceptionally_ ample- which I agree with."

"One, shut it, Jareth. Two, and I hate saying this over and over again, I am not wearing men's clothing," Sarah stated. "Three, this conversation is about you, not me."

"Here, take it" Jareth said, handing a piece of paper to his brother. "Our schedule for the next few weeks."

"Why'd you just give it to him?" Sarah asked him as Lochlan eagerly read the letter.

"Learn to pick your battles, Sarah," Jareth reasoned as he dropped into a chair.

"This tour is going to take nearly a month? What the bloody hell for?" Lochlan inquired. "Just transport to the next kingdom."

"We're not going to do that," Sarah explained. "We're taking a carriage. In the Aboveground, we call it a road trip. Road trips are fun."

"How pedestrian," he mocked.

"I've never seen any of these castles, let alone the land that surrounds them," she stated. "My father and grandmother thought it was fine to rule over a land they didn't know, but I don't. Also, did I mention that road trips are fun? Jareth's excited as well."

"I've been a bumbling fool for the past week. I'm beyond thrilled," Jareth drawled, sarcastically, causing Lochlan to chuckle.

"You're planning to crown a new ruler over the elves?" Lochlan mumbled. "Interesting."

"Would you like to come?" Sarah offered. "Especially since you didn't come to mine."

"Do you really want to rehash this?" Lochlan asked.

"No, not really," she sighed. "But you're invited; you're always invited."


	14. Chapter 14

_Loving so deeply,_

_I'm in over my head_

* * *

"This is going to be so much fun," Sarah said as she watched several workers place luggage into a carriage.

The caravan, as Sarah called it, was larger than any car or van she used in previous road excursions. Near the Palace gates, six dark green carriages stood, all being pulled by horses: one for her and Jareth, another for Tali and Cormac, two more for everyone's luggage and the final two for holding Palace guards. The early morning sky was mostly clear with a few clouds and a light wind, allowing for a stress-free voyage to the Pixie Kingdom.

"If you say so," Jareth said a bit dismissively as he looked at the controlled chaos around him, not really paying attention to what Sarah was saying.

"Don't be negative about something you've never experienced before," she said, nudging him with her arm. "When have I steered you wrong regarding new experiences?"

"The other day when I was forced to see that dreadful painting," he answered as he watched the servants load the carriages.

"Whatever," Sarah sighed, rolling her eyes. "I didn't know that was there, and you enjoyed the rest of the museum."

"Your Majesties," Avitus called out as he approached them. "This shall be an interesting trip indeed."

"Are you coming too?" Sarah asked.

"No, Your Majesty. I believe I shall leave the adventure up to His Majesty instead," he answered. "This is a nice procession you formed here."

"I know," Sarah said enthusiastically. "I've been on road trips before, but nothing this big. This is going to be fun."

"Your idea of fun is frustratingly bizarre," Jareth muttered as he left her to go toward one of the carriages.

"He's in a grumpy mood," she noted.

"Well, it's nice to know his disposition hasn't changed from this morning," Avitus said.

Sarah released a groan. "I don't know why he's acting this way," she said, shaking her head. She and Avitus looked on watching Jareth order the servants about where they should place the luggage. "I told him I was bringing the stuff to make s'mores, and he's still acting this way."

"To make what?" he inquired as he turned a quizzical eye to her.

"Forget it. It doesn't matter," she said as she tried not to laugh at herself. No one else knew of the human concoction.

"This is his debut, so to speak," Avitus stated. "Understandably, His Majesty refuses to admit that he's anxious, but his behavior betrays him."

"Anxious about what?" Sarah asked, slightly distracted by Jareth eyeing the horses that were going to pull the carriages.

"Few have seen you two as together," he explained. "A lot of people are going to be looking at you two. He takes being your consort seriously, you must know. I believe he's still becoming acclimated to Seelie society. I realize that you view this trip in a more capricious manner, but this is very serious to him. And from what I can tell from the murmuring across the Court, a delightful and exhilarating event for everyone."

"Sorry to interrupt, but Cormac said we should be leaving soon," Tali said behind them. "If we leave in thirty minutes, we should arrive at the Pixie Kingdom by late afternoon."

"Are you sure you don't want to join us?" Sarah asked Avitus.

"Again, no thank you," he said with a small bow. "But, please, tell me later, in immense detail, all His Majesty's absurd meltdowns that I'm sure he'll have."

"I brought a blank journal just for that and more," Sarah said with a chuckle.

* * *

Every day, there were two events that campers had to sign up for by lunch. Toby already had baseball, and, now, he was hiking up a lengthy trail with a small group of fellow campers and two counselors, Carole and Jeff. Out of all the activities available to the campers, hiking wasn't very popular, or maybe kids didn't want to do that much walking in the morning. Toby had been tracing the group's hike on his map that he received when he arrived at camp. When the group reached the end of the trail, the counselors told them to turn around and head back toward camp. But, Toby noticed something strange.

"Hey, Toby, that's your name, right?" came the voice of Carole behind him. "We got to turn back, buddy."

 _What's with all these nicknames_? he thought.

"Why is this gate up?" Toby asked, pointing to the closed gate to the rest of the trail. "Someone told me that it's closed because kids got injured on the trail, but it looks fine just like this part that we were walking on."

"Um, I don't know," she said, appearing genuinely confused as her eyes toggled between the gate and his map. "Has to be closed for a reason, I guess."

"It looks like it leads to the hill with a bunch of trees," Toby said. "What's so wrong with it?"

"Listen, Toby," Carole said. "I don't make the rules here. All right? You're asking questions that are way above my pay grade. C'mon, let's head back. Lunch will be served soon."

"Sure," he mumbled as he took one last look at the forbidden hill. "Can't miss out on cold sandwiches and potato chips."

* * *

"Stop. Where do you think you're going?" asked an elf sentry, standing guard outside a side door to the Pixie Castle along with three others.

"I've been sent here by Her Majesty," answered the fae, dressed in a Palace guard uniform.

"We received additional help a few days ago," said the elf guard. "Why are you here so late?"

"Family emergency," he responded. "I was told by Commander Garrison to arrive as soon as I could."

"What's in your bag?" the elf asked.

The fae took the bag off his shoulder, held it out for the elf to see and opened the satchel. "Archery kit," he said. "I've been a guard for over a millennium. I'm one of the best shots in the guard."

The elf stared at the fae for a few seconds as his gazed went up and down over the fae.

"Vaughn!" the elf called out without taking his eyes off the fae. Another elf who was standing by the door came forward.

"Yes, sir?" Vaughn replied as he stood next to him.

"Take uh… What's your name archer?"

"Powell," he responded.

"Take Powell to the archery unit," the elf ordered. "He's a little behind so ensure he's brought up to speed on all our procedures. Since today will be an easy day, this shouldn't be a problem."

"Yes, sir," Vaughn said. "After you." A fae who was also standing guard opened the door to the castle. Powell marched in with Vaughn following behind. Before Vaughn left, the elf guard caught him by the arm.

"Stay with him. He's going to be your partner until the High Queen and her entourage leave."

* * *

"Are you going to stare out that window for the entire time?" Jareth asked.

Sarah turned from gazing at the tiny villages in the foreground and the stunning mountains in the background to face him.

"Stop being so grumpy," she chastised. "This view is so beautiful. How can you be upset when observing at all this?"

"I'm not upset," he refuted as he stroked his chin, gazing out his window.

"Whatever you say," she said, turning back to the scenery. "I can see Kalin's castle ahead." Sarah saw a sizable mist-like object hovering above the gardens along the road and villages. She couldn't see them in detail, but she knew those were the pixies. So, she waved assuming they would be able to see her.

"Do me a favor," Sarah said, still looking out the window. "When we leave the carriage, pretend that you don't want to destroy everyone around you."

Jareth's head hit the back of his cushioned chair as he let out a sigh. "I hate this diplomatic nonsense," he said.

Sarah tried not to be outraged as she turned to look at him. "This isn't diplomatic nonsense…"

"To you it isn't," he stated. "Which is why I'm here. Just because I don't like this doesn't mean I don't realize how important it is to you."

"You're such a jerk," Sarah teased. "Pretend to be happy."

"To be by your side, yes," Jareth said as he grabbed her hand and planted a kiss on the back of her hand. "To be a part of all this? Never."

"Why do you have to be like this?" she groaned before kissing him on the cheek. "Have I mentioned how difficult you are?"

"Yes," he purred. Jareth moved from his seat, crowding Sarah's personal space. "Tell me again how difficult I am."

"No, no," Sarah said, placing her hand against his chest, halting his advancement. "The people watching us go by can see us, and we're almost to the castle."

"You and your decorum," he complained as he rested back in his seat. "It makes you incredibly dull."

* * *

"Calm yourself, Kalin," Taggert said, staring at the gatehouse.

Barging through the main courtyard and stalking behind Taggert, the Pixie Queen said nothing, but he could hear her harsh breathing. He turned around to grab her by the arms. She was dressed beautifully in a ruby red floor length gown with her hair worn long, cascading down her back with a silver circlet on her brow. However, her eyes were wild, and he could see perspiration forming on her brow.

"Kalin!" He yelled, giving her a harsh shake. "Calm down! You need to breathe!"

"I am breathing! I think," she croaked as her fingers clasped tight around his tunic. "Sarah's not far away. Crowds- there are so many people outside."

"I know, I know," Taggert said quietly, trying to soothe her. Unfortunately, it wasn't working.

"I don't even know those people!" Kalin cried out, her panicked eyes staring into his. "Where did they all come from?"

"The other kingdoms. You're kingdom," he calmly said, trying not to laugh, he enveloped her in a warm embrace. "You know this."

Now really wasn't the time to laugh, but she was acting irrational. Kalin seemed calm and collected yesterday as final preparations were finalized. Taggert couldn't bring himself to understand what brought about this slight breakdown.

"The royal convoy is approaching the castle," an elf servant said, approaching the pair.

"You have to be by my side," Kalin earnestly told him.

Taggert rolled his eyes. "I was planning on it. You planned everything, remember? Stop acting like you have no control. You've scheduled everything out."

"Yes. Yes, I have," she said mostly to herself as her breathing started to normalize. With a new sense of resolve, Kalin walked toward the door before she looked over her shoulder. "Well, come on," she ordered. "Why are you just standing there?"

* * *

"Ah, a roaring crowd," Jareth said, uninterested in the commotion. "It soothes my ears."

"Oh, this is a lot of people," Sarah mumbled.

Gazing out her window, she warily waved to crowd that were behind a barricade while the caravan traveled up the bridge toward the Pixie Castle. Guards were standing watch between the crowd in the village bordering the castle and the bridge leading to the castle's gatehouse. Sarah was shocked by the amount of people waiting outside the castle. Not only was the sun about to set, but she wasn't going to visit the town until tomorrow.

"Several of them appear rabid," he joked, unaffected by the throng of people. "Make sure you keep your distance."

"That's not funny," Sarah said, covering her mouth with one of her hands.

"No? Then why are you smiling?" Jareth asked before sneaking a quick kiss on her lips.

"I'll deny ever thinking that was funny to anyone outside of this carriage," she stated. "Oh look. There's Kalin and Taggert. She looks composed." As the coach stopped, the driver walked over to the door on Jareth's side and opened it.

"It's all an illusion," he said as he got out of the carriage. "That fae is a basket of nerves, and you know it."

Jareth held out his gloved hand which Sarah took, allowing him to guide her out of the cabin. The cheering of the crowd was loud when Jareth stepped out, but it was deafening when Sarah stepped out. Tali approached her, quickly straightening Sarah's emerald gown.

"I think we might go deaf if we stay out here," Tali yelled over the crowd, close to Sarah's ear.

Jareth gently took her arm and said with a smile on his face, "Wave to the crowd so we can leave, Precious."

After giving the crowd a wave, Sarah was lead toward a smiling Taggert and a calm yet slightly tense Kalin. As Cormac instructed Sarah and Jareth were to stand, Kalin and Taggert gave Sarah a curtsy and bow, respectively, before the four turned and waved to the crowd again.

"Let's go inside," Sarah called out. "It's crazy out here." They walked through the castle gates, into the main courtyard and away from the masses. Kalin grabbed Sarah, holding her in a fierce hug. Sarah could almost feel the tension leaving Kalin's body.

"I'm so happy this is finally happening," she said, refusing to release Sarah. "Anticipation is the foulest thing ever."

"You did well, Kalin," Sarah said, patting her on the back. "You should let me go."

The Pixie Queen quickly released her. "Of course, of course," she said.

"I see you still have all your hair," Jareth said as he approached Taggert. "None of it has gone grey as far as I can tell."

"The pixies have a great stress relieving tea," Taggert admitted. "If not for that, I would have gone completely white by now."

"No! The Palace carriages aren't going toward the stables!" Kalin shrieked at her workers. "They are staying in this courtyard. We've been through this!"

"Some of that tea sounds like a wonderful idea right now," Jareth muttered.

"Kalin, you can relax down now," Sarah said, grabbing her friend by the shoulders. "No one out there can see this. Everything is fine, and this place is beautiful."

The Pixie castle appeared lovely, not only because of the varied flowers arranged throughout the place, but the stark white stone was so stunning that, when Sarah saw the castle, it didn't look real- instead like a painting in a book.

"Truly?" Kalin asked.

"Yes, absolutely," Sarah assured her. "Those morning glories surrounding the gate are gorgeous. And these coleuses- they're so red and vibrant. I can tell you put a lot of effort into everything."

"I did," Kalin acknowledged with a smile, nodding her head. "Taggert assumed I was overacting with all the flowers, but I knew better."

"I still stand by my assessment that you were overacting," Taggert stated. "The sun is setting, and I'm ravenous. Let's eat."

* * *

Twilight fell over the camp as kids ran around since they had free play after dinner.

"Hey!" hissed somebody behind Toby. He turned around to see who called him, recognizing one of his cabin mates, and he was gesturing him over behind the dining hall. Curiosity got the better of him as he followed the kid behind the hall.

"What do you want, Daniel?" Toby asked.

"I heard you asking Jason about that trail yesterday," he said. Toby had no real problem with Daniel, but Daniel quickly became known as the busybody of the cabin- always drifting from one group to the other, trying to gather information for whatever his reasons for. Daniel had been attending this camp since he was old enough to, and he let everyone know that he knew everything.

"What about it?" Toby asked, suspiciously. "Are they lying or something?"

"No, they're not telling you the whole truth," he said, clearly happy to tell all he knows. "Two years ago, a couple of older kids bypassed the gate and hiked up the trail to the hill. They went missing."

"Missing?" Toby asked. "And no one knows about this?"

"They only went missing for a day, but they showed up on the edge of the hill. They had a few bruises and broken bones," Daniel explained. "They got expelled from camp for breaking the rules."

"What does this mean? It's just a crappy place to hike, like everyone says," Toby shrugged.

"Yeah, but they were found where the counselors already searched," Daniel whispered. "And not remembering where they were. That's messed up. Apparently something like that happened a couple of times a few summers ago."

"Do you think someone took them and then brought them back?"

"Yeah! How else could you explain them showing up out of nowhere?" Daniel exclaimed. "There are monsters here!

"Monsters?" Toby asked, trying not to laugh. "What kind of monsters?"

"Vampires? The boogeyman?" Daniel whispered animatedly. "I don't know, but they are here at camp!"

"If you really believe that, then why do you keep coming here?"

"Dude, one of these days, something is going to pop up out of nowhere, and it's going to be awesome."

* * *

When dinner was over, Kalin insisted on following her detailed list that included a tour of the castle and a demonstration of several pixies riding horses. But after several outbursts that Kalin had at her staff, Sarah passively yet forcefully requested that the group wrap up for the day, and Kalin go lie down. It was getting late, and Sarah persuaded Kalin that the pixie demonstration could wait. Hopefully, a night's rest will calm the Pixie Queen down. The look of appreciation in Taggert's face didn't go unnoticed by everyone, especially Sarah.

This reprieve allowed Jareth a moment to handle his kingdom's issues while Sarah returned to the music room that Kalin pointed out earlier. Cormac left to his assigned room that was next to Sarah's. Tali had her chambers located across from her.

Falling on her bed, Tali was extremely happy to being off her feet, finally, after that long tour she had to endure. Kalin loved her castle, Tali could tell, but the Pixie Queen wasn't good at reading when people were at the point of exhaustion.

"What a dreadful looking room." said a recognizable voice in disgust.

Tali turned on her back to see Lochlan standing in the middle of her room, appearing as though the decorations might reach out and bite him.

"Pink isn't my color," Tali said, still lying in bed. "But, it's just for a few days, and it's not my room."

"Kalin should have better taste than this," he said, slowly spinning around, taking the room in fully.

"Just because it's not your taste doesn't mean it's bad," she scolded. "Learn to expand your mind, Lochlan."

"Have I told you how much I love it when you say my name?" Lochlan asked as he stalked toward her.

"Not since yesterday," Tali smirked as she sat up. But he pushed her back down into the mattress as he straddled her waist. "What are you doing?"

Lochlan placed a kiss on the top of her breasts that peaked out of her orange dress. "I've missed you," he confessed.

"It's only been a day," she sighed.

"A day and half," Lochlan corrected.

"You're so bizarre," Tali said with a laugh as she tucked a few strands of his hair behind his ear.

"You're supposed to say that you missed me as well," he said, nipping her ear.

"You would like me to say that, wouldn't you?" she smirked.

Lochlan's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "You scheming, little…"

A knocking sound brought both of their attention to the door. Tali easily pushed Lochlan off of her, onto the bed as she walked to door. She opened the door to see Cormac on the other side with an envelope in hand.

"I plan to walk through the…"

Suddenly, the door was closed in the advisor's face.

"What is wrong with you?" Tali asked, whirling around to face Lochlan. He was now standing behind her yet magically slammed the door on Cormac.

"I didn't appreciate the way he was looking at you," he hissed as he tried to grab her. However, she pushed his hands away, giving him a disapproving frown.

"Get a hold of yourself," she said, unamused by his antics. "Leave me to do my job." Tali opened the door to see Cormac still standing there, confusion and bit of concern marring his face.

"Are you all right?" Cormac asked.

"She bloody fine," Lochlan said, leaning against the door frame. "What do you want?"

This time it was Tali who shut the door in Cormac's face.

"Please, leave," she stated, determination in her eyes as she stared him in the face.

Even though they were black, his eyes still showed confusion and indignation. "Excuse me?"

"Things need to get done, and you are getting in way," she clarified. Realizing that her words may have been a bit harsh, she gazed down to the floor, refusing to see his reaction.

"Well, I would hate to be somewhere that I'm not wanted," Lochlan said quietly.

Tali sighed as she looked back up at him to see a mask of cold indifference staring back at her. "Lochlan…"

Before he disappeared, he said, "Have a goodnight, Tali."

* * *

Kali sunk beneath the water from her bath, allowing the water to wash over her head. After several seconds, her head leisurely ascended out of the bathtub.

"Is this an odd relaxing ritual that you are presently allowing me to see?" Taggert asked as he wrapped a towel around his human form.

"I've never done this before,"Kalin admitted. "Yet, I find it very relaxing."

" _Mo stoirín_ , come here," he said, holding out his hand to her. She stepped out the tub as the water rushed down her long hair and across her body. Taggert enveloped her in a large towel and held her close to him. "Listen to me. This is what you're going to do: tomorrow, you are going to allow those servants who have been tasked with their various jobs to do them without any interference from you. And, you, in turn, are going to enjoy your kingdom and allow Sarah to see how beautiful this place is."

"But…"

"No," Taggert ordered, closing any arguments she may have. "Do you want Sarah's memories of this place to be filled with your anxiety and the sounds of you frantically ordering everyone around?"

"Not really," she pouted while looking to the side at the stone floors. "No, I don't. I only want everything to be perfect."

"Chasing after perfection will drive you mad, _Mo mhuirnín_ ," he said. "So, no more of this, all right?"

"Okay," Kalin sighed as she moved away from him, slightly downcast, and into her chambers. "I will try to do that."

Taggert instantly perceived a shift in Kalin's mood. She had been trying to hide behind an overconfident demeanor more and more over the past few days amid the insanity of planning. However, he wanted to get to the bottom of this.

"What troubles you, Kalin?" he asked as he stood in between the threshold. She whirled around before she reached her closet.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her brows creasing in genuine confusion.

"I'm talking about the sighing, the disheartened look," Taggert explained, walking toward her. "That's not my Kalin."

"Obviously, it is," Kalin scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I'm being myself; I'm not bloody possessed."

"There it is," he said, smiling as he gathered her in his arms "That's the fae I know and love." Kalin hesitantly wrapped her arms around his torso.

"Why _do_ you love me?" she asked against his chest.

"What?" Now, it was his time to be confused.

Kalin stepped back a bit, still being held in his arms. "You heard me. Why do you put with me?"

"I don't know why you're asking this," Taggert slowly said.

"Never mind," she said, shaking her head.

"No never mind," he countered. She tried to retreat but he held her close by her shoulders. "There's no _putting up_ or tolerating or any other sort of nonsense that you've thought of," he snarled. "Why do you keep thinking this way?"

"Because we don't make sense," Kalin said, walking away to look out her window. "You wanting to be with me makes little sense."

Taggert stayed still in his spot, watching with her with bemusement. "A lot of things about you don't make sense," he refuted. "For example, why do you need tea every two hours? However, I don't ask you that. Although now that it's out there…"

Kalin whirled around to glare at him. "I'm being serious!"

"As am I; we're different," he shrugged. "Why can't that be enough for you?"

"It is- kind of," she whispered. Her eyes looked to the ground before returning to the centaur. "I guess."

"Then stop this," Taggert said, approaching her. "You told me that others would care that I wasn't fae. Or was that just you projecting?"

"What? No!" she objected. "It's just- I can't imagine why you deal with all this. I realize that I'm high maintenance…"

"And do you plan to change?" he asked.

Kalin cautiously regarded him. "Well, no. I like who I am."

"You have no plans to change who you are," Taggert stated. "I already have a kingdom. So I don't have any use for you land or position. Seems like the only logical possibility left is that I like being around you."

"You say that now, but in the past…"

"I'm _not_ in your past," he argued. "I'm your present. You said before that I'm not like the others, but isn't that a good thing? Why would you want me to be like everyone else when it didn't work out before?"

"Because I'm a mess," Kalin groaned, tipping her head back in frustration. "I'm overthinking everything. I simply need more tea."

"One of the many reasons I love you," Taggert smirked. He placed his finger under her chin and tipped it upward. Leaning down, he tried to place a kiss on her lips. However, she backed away from him with a smile on her face.

"I know what you're thinking, and we can't," she said. "I have to get up early tomorrow."

"What for?"

"I decided that I want all of us to have breakfast together," Kalin explained. "And I need to go tell the kitchen staff."

At Taggert's disgruntled appearance, she tried to placate him. "After this is over, we have roughly two weeks by ourselves. I'll make it up to you then."

"You better," he said, glaring at her.

"This is one of the many reasons why you love me, remember?"

* * *

Brexton tried his best to keep his footing while walking through the Goblin Forest, holding a map in hand, silently cursing that the light of day had vanished. He had been assured by Jareth that he wouldn't be harmed by his subjects while searching the woods during his mission from the Palace, but that doesn't mean he wasn't a little on edge.

Since joining the Palace guard two years ago, he only heard of Sawyer but never met him. It would be unusual for someone of Sawyer's rank to see to training new trainees such as him. Bexton completed his training a week before the coronation, and now he was carrying out a mission on behalf of his Queen. Strange how things turned out. But he had to remind himself that he volunteered for this position.

A knife whizzed by his head, embedding into the tree behind him, catching him off guard. He wasn't able to defend himself from the blast of magic that hit him, causing him to fall to the ground, knocking him unconscious.

* * *

Sitting on a bench in front of a piano, Sarah played a song she hadn't worked on in a while. She paused her playing for a moment as Jareth walked into the room. Sarah continued to play as she saw out of the corner of her eye him leaning against the wall, observing her.

"I don't believe I've ever heard you play before," he said, standing behind her as he moved a section of her hair to the side before kissing her on the shoulder, causing her to shudder. Jareth loved that he still had that effect on her.

"I would always play in my down time before meeting you," Sarah said, continuing to play. "Except, you only want to do a certain type of activity when I have free time."

"I don't see any problem with that," Jareth said, sitting next to her on her right on the bench.

"You definitely don't," Sarah chuckled. "No problem at all."

Jareth noticed two piles of papers on the piano top. One was significantly higher than the other.

"Paperwork?" Jareth asked, nodding to the documents. "From years of experience, I can tell you that ignoring all this doesn't make it go away."

"Yes, it's work," she said, still playing. "Don't worry. The larger stack has already been dealt with. I'm not completely snubbing my duties."

Jareth sat down next to her, listening to her play, trying to decipher the piece of music.

"Chopin?" he inferred.

"Very good," Sarah said, impressed. "Nocturne in E Flat Major, Opus 9. No. 2."

Jareth stayed quiet, watching her play the piano with deft hands that proved she mastered this piece of music years ago. When she finished the song, Sarah's hands retreated to her lap, as though she had finished one of her recitals back when she was a student.

"Do you miss it?" he asked as he played a simple nonsensical ditty on the piano keys.

"Teaching kids how to play?" Sarah briefly pondered. "Hell, no. It was like pulling teeth."

"Are you being hyperbolic again?" Jareth asked as he continued to tickle the ivories. "They couldn't have been all bad."

"The only student who I actually enjoyed teaching was Toby," she admitted. "And that's because I could threaten him if he ever annoyed me. I mean, he would tell on me, but whatever. Whenever he mastered a piece, I would always take him out for ice cream."

"You never asked him if he still knows how to play," Jareth said as his hands rested on the keys.

"Yeah I know, but I didn't want to hear his answer," Sarah exhaled, briefly looking away.

"Why is that?"

"Because if he says no, that brings up the memories I have of him that he'll never know," she explained. "And if he says yes, that means someone else taught him, right? I just didn't want to think about that."

"Hmm," Jareth said. "That's understandable." He began playing another nonsensical tune.

"Your mother taught you how to play?" she asked.

"My father," he answered with his head down as he continued with his made-up melody. "As soon as I was old enough to reach the keys, he had me playing. After he died, mother continued to teach me, but I could always tell she didn't love the instrument like my father did."

"You never told me that," Sarah said, staring at his hands. The elegance of his playing showed through in his nimble fingers, which were not covered by his customary gloves.

"You never asked," Jareth stated, turning his head slightly to look at her.

"Excuses," she snorted.

"You know better than others that it's not normal to bring up the departed in casual conversation," he chuckled.

"I guess that's true," Sarah admitted. "Ever played a piano duet?"

"It's been a while, but I promise not to embarrass you," he joked as he lightly nudged her with his shoulder. "What do you have in mind?"

"Canon in D," she said. "By Pachelbel."

Jareth said nothing for a few moments as he thought about her suggestion. "I believe I remember it. Sounds familiar. Play a few chords for me."

Sarah began to play the ground bass of the canon. After a few seconds of playing, Jareth joined in playing the treble part. The tempo was slow, Sarah not wanting to to rush the play, since he may not remember the full piece. But after a few seconds of playing, barring that one moment toward the beginning when Jareth accidentally hit a sharp note, they fell into a synchronous rhythm.

"Beautiful," Jareth said when they finished.

"That was nice," she agreed as she lightly popped her knuckles. "We should do this more often."

"And we will," he said. Jareth's hand lingered over the keys in front of Sarah, producing a crystal that transformed into a small black box. Sarah stared at the box and then at Jareth in confusion.

"What's this here for?" Sarah asked.

Jareth carefully rested his elbow on the fallboard of the piano, holding his chin in his hand as he turned to face her. "You'll find out when you open it."

Sarah eyed him suspiciously as she lifted the box. Holding it firmly in her hands, Sarah lifted the top open. Her voice hitched as she saw what was inside. The rock was reddish orange with a streak of green running diagonally through it. It was surrounded by a wreath of platinum and diamond leaves. Although Sarah knew somewhere in her brain what this meant, she couldn't help but wonder.

"What is this?" Sarah asked, still staring at the ring in the box.

"A fire opal. A rare stone in the Underground," Jareth answered with a smile. "With diamonds, obviously."

"No. I…I mean- _What_ is this?" she asked again, eyes wide as she looked at him.

Jareth held her face in his hand as he caressed her cheeks with his thumb. "A ring for my wife, my partner, and the one who brings me endless joy. We have our bond, yet I wish to have the entire Court witness the union we have. Will you marry me?"

 _Oh shit_ , she thought.

Sarah never gave much thought to what would happen if someone proposed to her, but she never believed that she would be one to cry. However, now, here she was, sitting in a dim room, willing the tears to not fall as the love of her life asked her to marry him.

"Damn it, Jareth. I'm going to be so mad if you make me cry," she whispered, holding back a sob as tears fell. "Don't make me cry." She attempted to turn away, but his hands kept her in place. Jareth removed the box from her hands and took out the ring.

"I believe this is where the ring goes, yes?" he asked as he placed it on her left ring finger. Jareth bowed his head to kiss her left hand before gazing into her eyes. "I demand an answer, Precious."

Sarah tried not to babble incoherently before a huge smile broke out across her face, finding it hard to control her emotions. She looked down at the ring he placed on her finger and back to see Jareth's impatient eyes, anticipating her response.

"Yes. Of course," she blurted out.

Jareth released a breath that he didn't realize he was holding before he produced a large smile. His hands held her face as he moved a few strands of her hair behind her ear. "Words cannot express how much I love you," he said before kissing her lips.

Sarah pulled back, breaking contact, his hands falling away from her face. Gazing into his eyes, she saw the eyes of someone who loved and adored her more than she could possibly imagine. She reached up to trace her thumb across his cheekbones.

"Is this why you were in a bad mood today?" she mused.

"I wasn't in a bad mood," he responded quickly, defending himself. "Well, maybe a bit. Just a lot on my mind as you can see. I wasn't planning this location, but I was tired of having my plans foiled."

"Plans foiled?" Sarah echoed. "What ruined your plans?"

"That impish brother of yours," Jareth replied.

"Oh, yeah," she said quietly as an apologetic look crossed her face. "He was everywhere with us, wasn't he? Thank you- for allowing him to ruin your moment."

Jareth held out his hand, and Sarah took it. Bringing her closed to him, he whispered in her ear, "I look forward to the varied and intricate ways you plan to make it up to me." Sarah rolled her eyes and tried to push away from him, but he held her close, thwarting her escape.

"I'm sure you will come up with many things," she said before kissing him on the corner of his mouth.

"Many, many things," he said as his hands caressed her hips. "I believe we can get someone to send a few bottles of wine to our chambers. It's time for celebration since I finally got what I want."

Sarah couldn't hold back her guffaw of laughter. "Am I some kind of trophy?"

"Absolutely. After all, you are my champion."

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

_Sound and Color_

_Ain't life just awfully strange_

* * *

Brexton's head felt groggy and a bit heavy. Although his eyes were still closed, he knew he was sitting upright. The heaviness in his head made him was to move on his side; however, he felt his limbs constrained.

"I found a way to get messages out," said a mocking voice that rang through his ears. "Brexton believes in our cause and has decided to join our mission. We both have decided to work together to send you information from inside the Palace. Eòran." Brexton then heard a mirthless laugh.

"What a bunch of shit. Wake up, sunshine."

A booted foot kicked him in the side of his torso. Brexton finally opened his eyes to see a pair of brown ones glaring down at him.

"This is Eòran's handwriting, but this is complete nonsense. I know Eòran doesn't like being in jail- who would- but there's no way he would recruit anyone to be a part of this. Sawyer is narcissistic enough to believe that, but I'm not Sawyer."

"Wh-Who are you?" Brexton asked, his eyes trying to focus on the fae in front of him.

"Odhran."

"I came here for Sawyer," he groggily said.

"Fortunately, Sawyer isn't here," Odhran stated. "Tell me why you're really here."

"I was told to speak Sawyer only," Brexton said.

Odhran knelt down to stare him in the eyes, giving his captive a humorless smile. "Seems you are out of luck there, soldier. So, tell me why you really came out here."

However, Brexton refused to answer. In response to his silence, Odhran pulled out a knife and held it against his prisoner's throat.

"I'm going to count to three," he warned. "And before I arrive at three, you're going to tell me the truth behind all of this. If not, I slit your throat."

Brexton's eyes went wide in fear, his breathing laborious due to the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Yet, he said nothing.

"One," Odhran began counting. But still no response came from Brexton. "Two…" Odhran pressed the knife against the taut skin of his captive. "Three!"

Brexton closed his eyes and held his breath, waiting for his demise. All he heard was the sound of laughing coming from his captor as he opened his eyes to see Odhran standing up and backing away from him, amused with the situation at hand.

"You didn't betray your mission," Odhran said, approvingly. "Very good."

Blowing out a relieved breath, Brexton tried to fight against the rope that held him captive.

"I didn't say you were allowed to leave," Odhran said. "Now, I want in on this plan of yours."

* * *

"It's time to get up, Sarah," Jareth said. He was confident that he would never get tired of Sarah pretending to be asleep, always wanting him to leave her alone. Jareth poked her shoulder, a surefire way to earn a look of contempt from her, but at least she would be awake.

"Leave me alone," she complained as she buried herself under a mountain of pillows. Jareth grabbed the pillows and threw them across the room.

"Hey!"

Standing shirtless in only his necklace and trousers, he smirked, "Hey, yourself."

As she sat up, Sarah squint a little to peer out the window. "It's barely light outside. I'm sure we have two hours before breakfast arrives."

Jareth held out a small stack of papers. "You didn't finish your work."

Sarah glared at the documents and then glared at him. "I was _busy_ last night," she countered.

"Yes, you were," he agreed. "Unfortunately, you still have a Court to run. Your paperwork, Madam."

" _Madam_ ," she repeated, rolling her eyes, grabbing the papers from him. "Better than ma'am, I guess."

"A worker of Kalin came by to notify us that she plans to have us meet her for breakfast in an hour," Jareth said as he sat next to her gently rubbing her shoulders.

"I hoped that telling her to calm down would sink in yesterday," Sarah said. "Apparently not."

"This is her castle, her time," he said. "If she feels like driving herself mad, then let her."

"You know, I was thinking… I don't want to overshadow Kalin's moment. Maybe we should wait until we leave to announce anything… Oh shit," Sarah said, mostly to herself.

"What's the matter?"

"Taggert is planning to propose to Kalin," she groaned, looking up at him with worry.

"Oops," he smirked. "What is it that humans say? 'You snooze; you lose'."

"This is serious," Sarah chastised. "He didn't tell me when he was going to do it. What if it was today? We absolutely can't tell anyone. "

"She'll be outraged if you keep this from her," Jareth said. "Taggert- well, he's not dim; if he had something planned today, he'll think of something else."

"I guess so. By the way, what do you have planned for my visit?" she asked.

"Nothing," Jareth said. "We're simply going to visit a goblin pub and take bets on who will fall over first."

"I have no idea if you're being serious or not," Sarah mused.

"Good," he said, giving her shoulders on last squeeze before leaving the bed. "Better to surprise you with."

"I hate surprises," she muttered.

"I didn't hear you complain last night," Jareth replied, gesturing to the ring on her finger.

"Are you planning to give me more trinkets when I visit the Goblin Kingdom?" she asked.

Jareth laughed as he sauntered toward the balcony. "You're lucky that I enjoy spoiling you."

"You could spoil me by helping me with this stuff," she mumbled. "This is the worst way to celebrate our engagement. I'm sure of it. How am I supposed to decide whether this governor deserves more money to rebuild a road? Why should I be the one to deal with this?"

Jareth released an amused sigh as he walked back over to her. "No one knows about last night yet. Besides, accounting can be extremely sensual."

"Liar," Sarah said, skimming over her papers.

Jareth grabbed her arms, pulling her to her feet, and guiding her to a chair at a small table across the room.

"Sit," he said as he sat across from her.

"I'm naked," Sarah protested, refusing to sit down.

"I can see that," Jareth said as his eyes raked over her body. "It's always wise to have a pleasing view when dealing with boring administrative tasks. Now, sit."

"Weirdo," she muttered with a small smile, as she gingerly sat in her seat.

"This _weirdo_ is trying to help you," he said. "Give me the piece that's causing you so much trouble."

"It's a town located near the fae/elf border," Sarah explained as she handed him the paper.

Jareth skimmed the document that held the request from the region's governor. "Has this region been up to date in paying the Palace its taxes? Does this governor have a habit of asking for assistant to often? When's the last time this road had maintenance? Is this a high traffic area that would warrant such a high amount to rebuild a road?"

"Whoa! Slow down," she said, not ready for the verbal pummeling. "Let's see: yes, yes, two years ago, and not really. I guess some people use it to go the Elf kingdom, but it's not really a main road there."

"Deny it," Jareth said, handing the paper back to her. "This request mentions no urgency in the matter. He might just want to line his pocket with the left over proceeds he would receive."

"That was easy," Sarah said, setting the paper aside.

"You're welcome," he said with a self-satisfying smile.

* * *

"All right, we're almost finish with our walk through of the castle," Vaughn said as he kept his stride fast. He wasn't used to slowing down for any subordinate, and he wasn't going to start now. Although he would never admit it out loud, Vaughn was a bit miffed that this newcomer ruined his chance to be at a cushy post stationed outside the castle. "Remember where we're going to be stationed?"

"Yes, sir," Powell answered, trailing behind but not too far. "The battlements around the courtyard."

"Which one?" Vaughn asked. "There are five within the castle's walls. Queen Kalin loves her scenic views."

"The courtyard with all the tulips," he clarified. "It has that bizarre contraption in it."

"Very good. Although watch your words. I doubt that the Queen would enjoy you calling her things 'bizarre'," Vaughn said, staring straight ahead. "We're almost done with this. Then, we'll head over there."

* * *

"Hurry up, Toby!" yelled one of his fellow campers. "You're gonna get stuck with a crappy mountain bike if you don't come on!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Toby yelled back as he struggled to shove his water bottle into his backpack.

After breakfast and cleaning up his bunk, Toby and some of his fellow campers hurried back to the mess hall to pack for a half-day mountain biking excursion. Toby probably grabbed more sandwiches and cookies than he was supposed to. But one thing he hated was being stuck in the middle of nowhere, bumming food from someone else. Placing the pack on his back and swiftly buckling a strap around his waist, he ran out of the empty mess hall, silently praying he didn't get stuck with an inadequate bike.

* * *

"Here," Sarah said, handing over a stack of papers over to Cormac as he greeted her, along with two flanking guards, at the door to her temporary chambers.

Cormac was surprised to see her answering the door right before he was about to knock. More surprised that she was handing him all the papers he gave her yesterday.

"You completed all of these requests?" he asked as he took the documents and moved to the side, allowing Sarah and Jareth to step out of the room.

"With my help of course. I demand some form of compensation," Jareth teased. "A statue erected in my honor by the Palace- something small yet meaningful like that."

"Excuse me, Your Majesty, but we're here to escort you to the dining hall," said one of the guards.

"Awesome because I don't remember where it is," Sarah said. "Lead the way."

"Your train is going to trip you," Tali said quietly as she straightened out Sarah's dress before they started walking.

Sarah turned around to give her a confused look. "Where did you come from?"

"I was always here, behind that guard," she answered, pointing to one of the guards.

Noticing the solemn yet distracted look on Tali's face, Sarah asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," Tali answered, trying to give a reassuring smile but failing.

Sarah was about to say something to Tali before Jareth stepped in.

"How about we head to the dining hall?" Jareth didn't know exactly what was wrong with the lady-in-waiting. Nevertheless, he knew the look of someone who had dealt with the volatile nature of Lochlan, and Tali was displaying it fully. This moment was not the time to grill the poor half-elf.

As they approached the dining hall, Sarah saw Taggert and Kalin waiting outside the closed doors. And Kalin noticed the difference about Sarah immediately. She looked from Sarah to Jareth and then back to Sarah again. Kalin's mouth broke out in a smile before opening wide but no sound came out.

Sarah stopped walking as Jareth stood next to her. "What's wrong, Kalin?" she asked.

"Finally! It's about time!" she yelled as she rushed toward Sarah.

"Huh?" Sarah said as she was brought into a hug by the Pixie Queen.

"You're wearing the ring, Sarah," Jareth said, amused by the scene unfolding in front of him. "Seems as though you are horrible at keeping secrets."

Kalin pulled her back and gave a disapproving stare. "Secret? Why would you even consider keeping this from me?" she questioned.

"Um," Sarah said, looking past Kalin to see Taggert leaning against the wall with a smile across his face. She didn't know what type of reaction to expect, but she sighed internally knowing that he was entertained with this situation. "I… uh, I just didn't want to… uh, upstage you."

"Oh, please," Kalin said with a lopsided grin. "No one can upstage me."

"Enough of your crazed vanity," Jareth said as he walked toward the dining hall doors.

"Oh, yes!" she said, remembering the reason why they were all there. "This morning, I personally paired each dish with a different tea. I'm sure you'll find it to be brilliant."

When Sarah walked behind Kalin, she finally approached Taggert who still stayed by the door's threshold.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed to him.

Taggert enveloped her in a large hug. "No worries. You didn't ruin anything," he said quietly before releasing her. "Congratulations."

* * *

Toby didn't understand why everyone had to go so fast. It's not as though the group decided to race against each other. Or maybe they did. Did someone not let him in on the game? Going fast over the various rocks and crevices was making everything ache. The teenager huffed as he biked up the trail, regretting that he over packed his bag.

"Stop being such a slowpoke, Toby!" a kid called back at him.

"Blah, blah, blah, blah," Toby derided as he peddled harder up the path. He decided to not break his legs and pause for a moment to catch his breath. "I'll catch up! Just give me a second!"

Toby took off his helmet, happy that his head could finally air out. Wiping the dirt from his face, he looked up the trail, regretting that he chose to do this first thing in the morning. Then, he looked around and noticed the separate trail led to that gate that no one wanted to talk about. Seeing that no one was around, Toby jumped back on his bike and peddled toward the gate. When he reached the barrier, he left his bike and helmet behind, only taking his backpack as he climbed over the gate.

The hill wasn't that far from the gate, possibly a half a mile walk, he surmised. As he hiked up the hill, he observed his surrounding, hoping to see proof of anything out of place, like Daniel had claimed. Although he didn't see anything strange leading up to the hill, once he got closer, Toby noticed that there were a lot of trees on this hill, but they weren't dispersed randomly on the hill. Instead, the trees formed a circle.

"Weird," he said, halting his movements before he reached the trees. Thankful to be wearing durable shoes, he left the trail to hike in between the rocks and bushes, ensure that his initial guess what correct. A few near slips later, Toby looped around the hill, and his initial thought was right: it was a complete circle.

"Toby!"

He spun around at the sound of his name. One of the camp leaders- he didn't remember the man's name- was standing next to his bike by the gate, anger marring his face.

"Get down from there! What part of 'Danger: Do Not Enter' do you not understand?" The camp leader was joined by the other kids that were a part of the mountain biking group.

"Go for it, Toby!" yelled Daniel behind the camp leader. "Do you see any monsters up there?"

The camp leader turned around to Daniel. "What in the world are you talking about?"

This gave Toby the distraction he needed. He ran up the hill toward the trees. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but he had to know what the deal with this hill was. Also, he wasn't a cat.

"Toby!" was the last thing he heard before he crossed the trees.

* * *

Lochlan was upset. No. He was livid. Strike that. He was furious. The more he thought about it, he didn't know exactly how he felt.

Whatever the feeling, Lochlan knew that he wanted to bash someone's head in. However, no one was around to volunteer for such an endeavor; therefore, he was left with punching holes in the walls of his throne room. Someone would fix it- just not him. Lochlan barely slept last night. Instead he found himself throwing tantrums in his castle, enraged at the situation he was in with Tali. He was torn between asking for her to forgive and forget or to let her know that what he did was entirely within his right.

"Enough of this," he snarled. Lochlan needed to feel the air beneath him. Transforming into his osprey form, he flew out of his window.

* * *

Toby ran a few more feet before realizing that the world around him had changed. Gone was the bright sunny yet hot day. When he finally came to a stop, he was surprised to see the green grass was now brown, and the bushes and trees that made up the landscape where devoid of leaves.

"Holy shit," he whispered to himself. "That totally worked. Now, where am I?"

"What do we have here?" asked a deep yet coarse voice. "A trespasser?"

Toby didn't like the tone of that voice, but he couldn't stop himself from turning around. Spinning around, he got a good look at the source of the voice. Before him stood a group of creatures, with dark blue skin, long white hair, and pronounced pointed ears. Elves, Toby guessed. There must have been roughly ten of them, at least that Toby could see. But one of them stood out from the rest.

"We're not too keen on intruders here," the larger of the elves said as his lips broke out into a toothy smile that sent fear through Toby.

"Uh, nope. Not trespassing," Toby said laughing nervously, backing up slowly. "Just a little lost."

If he thought that he could slip away, he was thought wrong as the group of elves began to stalk toward him, the presumed leader of the group unsheathing the sword from his back.

"Ah, we're not keen on liars either," he admonished. Not wanting to know what this elf did with liars especially with that sword, Toby quickly turned and ran away from the group. He didn't have to look over his shoulder to see them all chasing after him, all carrying some sort of weapon, but he did anyway, forcing his legs to run faster.

* * *

Flying high above his kingdom, Lochlan cursed himself, for many things. At this moment, it was how he should have done gone for a flight last night. But he never had a lovers' quarrel; therefore, how would he know that going for a flight would have been helpful. He hoped that he wouldn't need to use that knowledge in the

Lochlan hated to apologize, and he still didn't believe that he had too. However, he misses his Tali. Even though the tiff only took place a few hours ago, he only once before felt this feeling of alienation and solitude. And there was no way he would allow centuries to past like he did with Jareth. This time, he would handle the situation differently.

Feeling a bit of weight off his shoulder, Lochlan finally looked down on his lands. But, he quickly noticed that something was wrong. A small band of dark elves were running after something. Normally, they preferred to hunt at night, and the hunting ground were no were in sight. That's when he saw what they were chasing: a human. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

_Bloody hell_ , he groaned inwardly as he disappeared from the sky.

* * *

Toby continued his quick stride; occasionally looking over his shoulder, wishing that he could catch a break. Yet, these elves were not letting up. He didn't understand why they were so upset over trespassing. Toby had a habit for playing in his neighbor's yard without permission, and they never acted like this.

As he gazed over his shoulder to see that they were gaining on him, he tripped over a log, sending him tumbling forward, skidding over rocks and dead leaves, and finally landing on his stomach. He turned to get up again but the tip of the sword caught his eye.

"Sheath the blade, Reule," ordered a voice behind Toby, but he refused to take his eye off the threatening object.

The one apparently called Reule tried to protest. "But Your Majesty…"

"Don't make me command you twice," the voice curtly said.

The elf mumbled something before putting the sword away. The others behind him lowered their weapons as well. Toby released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"He was trespassing; he came through a fairy hill," Reule said.

"Did you catch him coming through the hill?"

The normally confident appearing Reule began to shuffle his feet. "Well, no…"

"Were you all told to not to give chase and threaten those who do enter our kingdom?"

"Yes, Sire, but…"

"And what exactly are you supposed to do?"

Reule blew out a frustrated breath. "Catch them and bring them to you."

"Well, now that I have done your work, you can sod off," the irritated voice nearly barked out at the group.

The group of elves quickly retreated before a pair of black boots came into Toby's view. A hand wrapped around his neck and hoisted him into the air. Toby's hands tried to pry it away, but he wasn't strong enough. As he struggled against his captor, a pair of black eyes met his.

"I really don't enjoy meddling humans," he hissed.

* * *

"Kalin, I don't think the carriage will be able to handle all of this," Sarah said, trying not to laugh.

"Oh," she said, not considering anything practical at the moment. "That's all right. I can send for another carriage."

"Have you lost your mind, Kalin?" Jareth asked, massaging his forehead.

After breakfast, Kalin escorted Sarah and her group to a large tea processing plant on the outskirts of the capital. As they were leaving, Kalin insisted that Sarah take as many containers of tea leaves that could fit into one of the carriages.

"No, my mind is still intact, _Jareth_ ," she spat. Considering her tone, he nearly expected her to stick her tongue out at him. Taggert couldn't join them, claiming he had some matter to deal with in his own kingdom. The centaur king said he would be back after lunch, but Jareth was now convinced that Taggert knew all this was going to occur and left as soon as he could.

"Your Palace staff is sizable, is it not?" Kalin asked Sarah.

"Yes?" Sarah didn't know where Kalin was going with this.

"Then share this with them. Good will and all that," she offered. "Oh! I know! You can label one of these the official royal engagement tea! That could trigger more exporting. Our profit margins would soar!"

"I get that, but we're not going to be able to fit in one carriage. Have you forgotten Tali and Cormac?" Sarah gestured to the two standing off to the side. They waved sheepishly to the two queens. "Five of us can't fit in one carriage."

"Oh well that's an easy fix," Kalin shrugged. She turned to a fae worker who was packing up the containers of tea. "Pack a few more of jasmine, peony, and keemun teas into the other carriage."

"Kalin," Sarah sighed.

"The scenery didn't change on the way over here," she said. "We can have lunch early. No reason to take the carriage back." Kalin reached over and grabbed Sarah's wrists. Then, the tea rooms disappeared, and the two appeared in one of the Pixie castle's hallways.

"You didn't grab anyone else," Sarah pointed out. "How will they know where we are?"

"Oops."

* * *

Vaughn already had his area set up, and right now, he was trying not to yell at the Palace guard next to him. Apparently, he was one of the best, but Vaughn found that notion laughable.

"You know, it shouldn't be this hard to set up your area," Vaughn said.

"Yeah, well, why don't you go someplace else then," Powell huffed out as he checked the strength of the strings on his crossbow.

"We're stuck together remember," Vaughn said as he turned to look out of the battlement. "Anyway, the plan was to only have one person stationed in this area. Two is better than one, I guess."

"And when is the Queen going to arrive?" Powell asked as he stood up.

"If everything goes as plan, Queen Kalin will have lunch and tea here in about an hour," Vaughn said, gazing up at the sky to judge the time. "Of course, this has to be the courtyard that has no clock present."

"Will the Goblin King be present?" Powell asked.

"I'm sure of it," Vaughn answered, confused by his interested in the Queen's consort than the actual Queen. "Why? Have a gift for him?"

"Actually, yes," Vaughn heard Powell say before the world around him went dark.

* * *

Lochlan appeared in his throne room with his hand still clutched around the young human's throat. The boy tried to speak, but his words were muffled for obvious reasons.

"It's not that I'm angry at you, per se," Lochlan reasoned, pacing back and forth still holding the boy up in his hand. "But I'm not in the best of moods, and then you come along." He stopped his pacing and turned his head to the youth. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Gah! Ah!" was all he managed to get out as he flayed about.

"Oh right," Lochlan muttered, realizing the human's predicament. He unceremoniously released the boy, causing him to drop to the ground.

"Ugh!"

"You now have use of your voice so answer my question," Lochlan demanded. "And what the hell is that on your back?"

He wheezed and coughed a bit, rubbing his throat, before he rolled over to sit and glare up at the Unseelie king. But before he could answer a single question, Lochlan noticed something peculiar.

"What the hell is this?" Lochlan asked as he grabbed the child by the wrist, hoisting him in the air…again.

However, his voice wasn't impaired this time. "Let me go!"

"Why do you have my brother's symbol on your wrist?" Lochlan demanded.

"Hey, this hurts, you know!" The boy yelled as he swung his other hand to try, again, to pry the culprit's hand off his wrist, still with no luck. But, the young human looked at him, giving him a curious stare. "Hey, you're that guy who showed up at Sarah's house."

Confusion washed over Lochlan's face as he dropped the human, again. He was too consumed in thought to be concerned with little things like not causing harm to anyone.

"Ouch!" he cried out from the floor. "You have to stop doing that."

"Who are you?" Lochlan asked. "What's your name?"

"Toby," he answered as he checked his body for bruises. "Toby Williams."

"Ah, the ill-behaved human," Lochlan smirked.

"I'm not ill-behaved," Toby angrily countered.

Lochlan gestured to the room around him. "Care to explain how you got here? I doubt my brother hired you to play a prank on me?"

"Well, no," Toby sheepishly said. "There was this weird place near my camp that was known for making people disappear…"

"And you _brilliant_ assumed that the smartest thing to do would be to walk into it?"

"I didn't know if it was real. How else was I supposed to know if I didn't try?" Toby asked.

"There must be a distance relative that connects you to Sarah," Lochlan muttered. "Both of you have a knack for meddling."

"Is she here?" Toby said as he stood as quickly as he could and looked around.

Lochlan let out a laugh. "Sarah would rather chew off her arm than be here for more than a minute. And I'll doubt she'll be too pleased with you being here, let alone learning how you got here."

"So you're going to send me back?"

"Of course not. Seeing Sarah irritated with someone other than me will be the highlight of my day," Lochlan said with a smile.

Lochlan formed a crystal, gently tossing it back and forth in his hands, nearly hypnotizing Toby. Without warning, he threw the crystal at the human, causing him to disappear.

* * *

"I would much appreciate it if you would refrain from abducting my fiancé!" Jareth yelled as he marched into the courtyard with Tali trailing behind him.

"Don't be so dramatic, Jareth," Kalin said dismissively as she sat next to Sarah under the gazebo.

"Sorry," Sarah shrugged. "I didn't trust my ability to go back by myself. Also, Kalin wouldn't let me."

"Oh, please," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You don't always have to be stuck to each other. You're smothering her, Goblin King."

Jareth walked into the gazebo, toward Sarah, and gazed down at her. "She likes my smothering," he said.

"Shut it," Sarah muttered. "Where's Cormac?"

"Someone has to deal with your infinite supply of loose tea," he said. "Where's lunch?"

"It will be served momentarily," Kalin said, starting to grow impatient with Jareth's complaining. "We're a bit off schedule. Don't be so testy. I have no idea why you are so high-strung."

"Do you honestly have the nerve to call me high-strung?" Jareth asked, not believing his ears.

Ignoring the little spat that was occurring between the two, Sarah noticed Tali standing halfway between the gazebo and the doors, staring at the ground. She stood up to walk to her friend. So, lost in thought that Tali didn't notice Sarah approaching.

"Tali?"

"Oh, um, lunch should be served soon," she said, looking everywhere but at Sarah.

"I know. I've been here with Kalin waiting for you guys, remember?" Sarah said.

"Um, yeah, that's right," she mumbled.

"You're not okay. What's wrong?"

* * *

"Commander Garrison," a Pixie kingdom elf soldier said, giving him a salute.

"We just went through the capital," Garrison said, walking toward the elf guarding the door. The leader of the Palace Guard was a tall fae with long, silver hair tied into a low ponytail. Three Palace guards followed closely behind the Commander. "When I finish here, I'll head over to the Elf Kingdom. I assume everything is going well here?"

"Everything is going smoothly," the elf soldier said. "Although you sent us for a loop yesterday, sending an extra soldier at the last minute."

Confusion crossed Garrison's face as he turned to his subordinates behind him and then back at the elf. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, Sir, the soldier," he said, feeling confused as well. "He had personal issues to attend to before you sent him here."

"I don't remember ordering such a thing," Garrison mumbled to himself, his silver brows knitting in irritation. "What was his name?"

"Powell," the elf quickly answered. "He's an archer so I pair him with Vaughn."

Garrison released a low growl. " _Powell_ deserted his regiment months ago. His affinity for Oberon was well known at the Palace. Where is he?"

"I…I'm not sure," the elf answered. "I'm not the one who made the roster. Our captain should be in his office."

Garrison turned to the soldiers behind him. "You two," he ordered. "Go find Queen Sarah and King Jareth, make sure nothing odd is going on around them. And you, come with me."

* * *

"Where's the food, Kalin?" Powell heard the Goblin King yell out.

"It's arriving soon, you intolerable fae!" The Pixie Queens voice screamed, her voice carrying throughout the courtyard.

"Maybe if you didn't abduct Sarah, we wouldn't have to wait!"

"Bloody half-breed," Powell mumbled to himself as rummaged through his bag. "Where is it?" Soon, his hands found the jar he was looking for. "Finally," he sighed.

Sawyer trusted him with this mission, and he wasn't about to ruin it with this misplaced items. He looked over to see a motionless Vaughn. Powell didn't feel bad about what he did, but he wished he could do something about the body. The last thing he needed at this moment was any type of mental distraction.

Powell took out several arrows and dipped them into the jar. He cocked his crossbow into a hook attached to a belt, drawing the bow by straightening the legs. When he was ready, he stood up and aimed the weapon, hoping the entire time that he didn't hit Queen Sarah.

"Move away from her, you Unseelie bastard."

* * *

Lochlan had always desired that he would have nothing to do with the Pixies after the war, but nothing would stop him from seeing Sarah explode on this so-called brother of hers. Chaos was akin to breathing air for him, and seeing what would unfold from this intrusion would be sure to brighten his day. Of course, being with Tali would be better. If all went well, after Sarah's calms down from her inevitable outburst, he would set things straight with her. Lochlan didn't know how that will turn out, or what he would say to her, but he refuses to consider the fact that she is set on leaving him. No, he would ensure to change her mind if it came to that.

As he flew over the Pixie castle, his musing nearly caused him to overlook something strange. Beneath him, he saw his brother arguing with Kalin as Sarah and Tali appeared to try to nullify the situation, whatever that might be. Kalin marched off, leaving the courtyard while Tali and Sarah held back Jareth. But what really caught his eye was an archer in Palace guard clothing on the battlement, pointing his crossbow at the trio.

Lochlan nosedived toward the courtyard, towards Tali. He heard a swooshing sound before a throbbing pain hit his back. But that didn't stop him from getting to the half-elf who stole his heart. He shifted to his fae form before covering Tali with his body.

"Oof!" Tali cried out as she hit the ground.

"Lochlan?" Sarah asked. "What are you…"

"Jareth! Front of you! The wall!" Lochlan yelled without moving off of Tali.

Jareth instinctively pushed Sarah behind him as he scanned the walls, spotting the intruder his arrow pointing straight at him. He lifted up his hands to create a deflecting barrier over the four of them, stopping the second arrow. Jareth noticed the perpetrator running down the battlement, trying to escape.

Kalin came bursting through the doors with two Palace guards behind her. She noticed the magical barrier surrounding her friends, and Lochlan holding down the lady-in-waiting.

"What the hell is happening here?" she asked, frantic that something occurred while she was gone.

"Get Lochlan a healer, Kalin," Jareth ordered, keeping his eyes on the wall, as he moved toward the center of the courtyard, bringing down the barrier "And I want Sarah secured in a room."

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Sarah asked, grabbing his shirt before he could shift.

"I believe that was meant for me. He seems to be so interested in me," he ground out, his mouth clenched in fury. "I intend to meet him face to face."

Everything was in disarray, and Sarah didn't feel this was the time to argue about his plan- not that she would believe that he would listen to her.

"Be careful," she whispered before he stepped away from her, changing into an owl and flying to circle the castle.

Lochlan released a groan as he reached to his back and pulled the arrow out.

"I really do hate bleeding," he grumbled.

"You're hurt," Tali pointed out as she gently rolled him on his stomach.

"I'm not really in the mood for a massage," Lochlan joked as he lay prone on his stomach. "Maybe later, and in private. I was in the middle of something, I'll have you know."

" _Shut up_. Stop joking," she hissed as her voice hitched. Her hand traveled along his back, searching for the injury.

"Are you crying, pet?" he asked as he turned his face to the side to see her.

Ignoring his question, she turned to Sarah and then to Kalin who were approaching them. "The arrow is iron, and it had poison on it."

"Poison? What is it? What could be worse than iron?" Sarah asked.

"It's not much iron," Tali said. "And I'm not sure what this is. I think the poison was just to cause a lot of pain but not kill since there is little iron."

"Lovely, yet I feel fine," Lochlan said as he pushed against the ground in an attempt to stand up. But, Tali pushed him back down. He gave her an irritated look.

"Don't. Move," she ordered, glaring back at him.

"The healer is on his way," Kalin said.

"I can do this," Tali said, reassuring herself more than those around her.

She ripped the back of his shirt, exposing his back. The area surrounding his wound was growing putrid with black veins growing from the pierced sight. Glowing blue, her hands hovered above the damaged skin, attempting to draw out the offending substances.

"Sarah, we have to go," Kalin said, pulling on her arm. "Jareth will go ballistic if I don't take you inside."

Knowing that she would object, Tali turned to face her and said, "We'll be okay. Go ahead."

"And here I thought he would cause the most trouble," Lochlan groaned out, producing a dark crystal. Tali quickly grabbed it and placed his arm back down on the ground and handed the crystal to Sarah.

"What?" Sarah said, regarding the orb.

"C'mon, Sarah. You," Kalin said, pointing to one of the guards. "Stay here with them. We'll be in the dining hall."

"Argh! Dammit!" Lochlan yelled out.

"This will hurt," Tali said as her hand lifted from his back, the dark substance leaving his body and following her hand.

"But you warn me now," he grumbled as he concealed his face in the grass.

The black veins left his body, but she knew a horrible scare would be left in their wake. She formed a crystal to encompass the substance while Lochlan rolled on his back, immediately regretted that decision.

"Shit!"

"Sit up," she calmly instructed. "I just pulled iron and poison out of your body. We need to get you to a bed." The guard approached them and attempted to help the Unseelie King up. However, Lochlan pushed him away.

"I need to find that asshole who tried to shoot an arrow at you," he said.

"How do you know he was aiming for me?" Tali asked, suddenly concerned for her safety.

"He wasn't. He was aiming for Jareth, but clearly he's a horrible shot," Lochlan explained as he got to his feet.

Tali jumped to her feet. "Lochlan, you can't…"

"Here is what you are going to do," he said, gently grabbing her face. "Take that crystal of yours to a healer to find out what the hell that was, then you will go find Sarah and stay safe with her until I return. When I do, I'll be sure to thank you properly for healing my back."

Genuine concern flashed across her face. "Where are you going?"

"I refuse to allow my brother to have all the fun."

* * *

Powell ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Unfortunately for him, he didn't have the ability to transform. Normally, he could transport somewhere, but he had to have a clear mind in order to do that. And he did not have that at the moment.

He cursed himself for dropping his crossbow, accidently leaving it behind. Powell began to climb one of the castle's turrets before he felt himself being yanked to the ground. He was spun around forcefully and found himself staring into the furious black eyes of the Goblin King.

Two hands latched around Powell's neck as he was wrestled to the ground. Jareth kneed him in the stomach as his grip tightened around his neck.

"I believe you have been looking for me."

* * *

Sarah and Kalin rushed into the dining hall with several guards following behind.

"I'll have three stand watch outside," a senior Pixie castle guard said. "I'm going to find Garrison."

"Fine. Fine. Just go," Kalin said as she collapsed into a chair. When they were left alone, she asked, "What the hell just happened?"

"I don't know," Sarah said, not really pay attention to Kalin, but instead staring at the crystal Lochlan gave her.

"What is that?" Kalin asked, noticing Sarah's fixation.

"Lochlan gave it to me," she answered. "I don't know how to look into other's crystals yet. How do I know what's in here?"

Kalin eagerly jumped from her resting place and joined Sarah's side. She grabbed the orb from her. "Let me see here." She tilted her hand as magic emitted from her hands. "Why would he have a human trapped in here? Lochlan's a very bizarre fae indeed."

"Human? Give me that," Sarah demanded. "Toby! What the... How do I get him out?"

"Toby? Is that the human you grew up with?"

"Get him out, Kalin," Sarah ordered as she shoved the crystal back the Pixie Queen.

"All right, all right," she said. Kalin carefully held the crystal in her hand as a stream of light spilled out of the crystal as it slowly disintegrated. Then, standing before the two queens was the very startled young boy.

"Oh, aren't you just adorable?" Kalin cooed. "Sarah, he so charming with his floppy blond hair and his pack..."

Sarah approached Toby and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Toby, what are you doing here?"

* * *


	16. Chapter 16

_Sail with me into the dark_

* * *

 

"Toby, what are you doing here?"

"Um, visiting you?" Toby meekly answered with a small smile, which cause Kalin to chuckle. "Hey, what's going on? I missed you."

Sarah gave Kalin a disapproving stare before turning her ire to Toby. "This isn't funny. How'd you even get here?"

"Uh, I think it's called a fairy hill," he said, looking at the floor.

"Oh," Kalin whispered. "In the Unseelie Kingdom? And you still have all your limbs?"

"Barely," Toby admitted.

"Impressive," Kalin said, nodding in approval.

"What do you mean by _barely_?" Sarah asked, raking her fingers through her hair. "Do you realize what you have done?"

"Oh, so he went through a fairy hill," Kalin said, dismissively. "It's not that big of a deal. I guess it could have been, but like we have established, he has all his limbs. He's fine."

"That's not the point and you're not helping!" Sarah snapped.

A guard opened the doors without warning allowing Tali to slip in before shutting them all in again.

"Oh shit, I can't believe you slipped my mind," Sarah said before hugging her. "Are you okay? Where's Lochlan?"

"Where's Jareth?" Toby asked.

"Who's he?" Tali inquired pointing to him.

"Annoying little brother who is big trouble," Sarah answered. "So where's Lochlan?"

"With Jareth, I think," Tali answered. "I tried to convince him to sleep off any pain he was feeling, but he didn't listen. But I don't know where they are."

"Probably at the Goblin castle," Sarah said, quietly. "He would be here if that menace, whoever he is, was still on the loose."

"What's going on?" Toby inquired. "Is something bad happening?"

Sarah marched over to stand behind him. He tried to turn to face her, but she held him still. She opened his backpack and began rummaging through its contents. She knew Toby well and there was one thing he wouldn't travel without.

Pulling out his music player and headphones, she pushed the earbuds in his ear and turned the music on and pushed up the volume.

"This is loud!" Toby complained. "I can't hear anything!"

"Good," she muttered as she returned to Tali and Kalin. "How long are we going to be in here?"

"That's a good question," Kalin mused. "Garrison said that his men are going to do a thorough sweep of the castle. Oh! Dammit! I have to get a message to Taggert!" Then, she ran out of the room.

"Can I take these off?" Toby yelled across the room. Sarah emphatically mouthed the word "no" to him.

"I can go to the castle to see if Jareth actually caught that guy," Tali said. "It will give you time alone to yell at him." She gestured to Toby.

"Huh?! Can I take them off now?" he shouted again.

"Sounds like a plan," Sarah said as she turned toward Toby. "I have a lot of yelling to do."

* * *

"I'm actually pleased you came along," Jareth said as he gazed the table in front of him. "It's been a very long time since I've been able to consider all of these. Most of these items came from humans. It seems as though they are the most horrid to each other. But you shouldn't be surprised by this- seems as though you are kindred spirits with the most dreadful of humans."

Jareth turned around to see the fae he captured hoisted up, attached to the ceiling, with his mouth gagged with fabric.

"Do you have a preference? The bastinado? Iron maiden?" Jareth said with morbid glee. "How bizarre- you enrage yet bore me. Maybe I'll just place you in a pillory."

The bound and gagged fae said nothing as he hanged from the ceiling- his glaring stare was his only form of communication he deigned to give the Goblin King.

"You have piss-poor aim, by the way," Jareth remarked as he lifted an odd metal contraption, considered it for a moment, and then placed it back down on the table. "I doubt you did all this to attack the Queen's lady-in-waiting."

Jareth walked over to his prisoner and removed the constraining fabric. "I didn't catch your name before beating you senseless."

"What's going on here? Amateur hour?" Lochlan stated behind them at the opening of the large cell.

"Now is not the time for your useless chiding," Jareth growled, trying to tamper his annoyance at his brother's meddling.

"Have you ever done this properly?" Lochlan said, walking toward the prisoner as Jareth followed behind him. "There's an appropriate way to string someone up. You're putting our Unseelie heritage to shame."

"The Unseelies are a blight on the Underground," the prisoner spat.

Jareth flicked his wrist, producing a small knife in his hand. Without warning, he plunged the knife into the side of the prisoner, causing him to cry out in agony. Jareth twisted the knife, embedding it further into his flesh.

"No one said you can talk," Jareth said evenly as he left the blade buried to his hilt.

"Honestly, brother, hanging him by the wrist from the ceiling?" Lochlan said as he began to take off his shirt.

The pained groan of the dangling prisoner filled the air.

"Did you come here to school me on suitable torture technique?" Jareth asked. He saw a glimpse of Lochlan's wound when he turned around to set his shirt on a rack. "I'm amazed you are even walking around; you should being resting."

"I'm not a child; my body will be fine." Lochlan turned to the prisoner and then to Jareth. "What is his name?"

"Powell," Jareth answered. "I assume. The name is on the jacket he was wearing. He refused to tell me otherwise."

"Stop your bloody moaning, Powell!" Lochlan ordered. "We're trying to have a conversation."

The groaning didn't go away but the volume decreased, much to Lochlan's satisfaction.

"It's almost as though he's shocked to be here," Jareth said as he walked back over to the table at the other end of the cell. "I believe he thought he would get away with it." A hint of amusement colored his voice.

The small patter of feet approaching the cell caught both kings' attention as they faced the opening.

Tali appeared and stopped at the threshold as she expressionlessly stared at the dangling traitor, her presence catching Lochlan off guard.

"He looks uncomfortable," she stated, still staring at the prisoner. Lochlan moved fast to block her view of the captive. Tali's eyes squinted in scrutiny as she gazed up at his looming figure. "I know you will just ignore me, but no one will hear you whining when you wake up in pain tomorrow due to not resting."

He didn't know for certain why she came here, but he had his speculations. Lochlan sighed as he looked down at the floor and then back up to stare Tali in the eyes.

"You shouldn't have come here," he said. Tali opened her mouth to speak, but Lochlan interrupted her. "I understand why you are frightened and apprehensive about what you see here, but this is the way things are. You may have different views about how we should treat this vile piece of filth…"

"Oof!"

Lochlan quickly turned around as Tali peeked around him to see that Jareth released Powell, dropping him to the ground. Jareth rolled him onto his side and took out the knife that had further embedded itself after the fall. He glared down at him as Powell tried to retreat, recoiling with every step when Jareth stepped closer.

"Oh, don't mind me," Jareth said as he pulled Powell up to his feet. "Only dealing with this worthless fae by myself."

Even though he was in much pain, Powell took advantage of his lack of restraint as he managed a swing of his arm, trying to make contact with the Goblin King, but failing. Jareth let out a humorless chuckle before he closed his fist and swung it at his captive. The dull thud of his fist against Powell's head let Jareth know that this fae wouldn't be attempted another swing for a while. Powell doubled over and gripped the side of his head, allowing Jareth to deliver two rapid-fire blows that had him wailing in pain.

"I'm convinced you will be fine," Lochlan said before he turned back to her. "I regret how I acted the other night, but I am who I am. And you must know that. I told you that I'm not a forgiving fae. I'm not interested in giving this creature any trial and neither is Jareth."

Tali looked around him to see Jareth clasp Powell's writs to a wooden plank on the all and fasten a shackle around his neck. She then regarded Lochlan carefully before giving him a lopsided grin.

Taken aback, Lochlan was a bit confused by her amused look, and his face showed it.

"What are you looking at me like that?" he asked.

"I only came here to find out where you two were so I could tell Sarah," Tali explained. "You view me as a having a larger bleeding heart than I actually have. I don't want to spend the mental energy on someone trying to kill His Majesty."

"We've been over this, Tali," Jareth said, grabbing a bizarre contraption from the table. "Call me 'Jareth'."

"Anyway," she said with a small smile. "Now that I know where you both are, I should go."

Still confused, Lochlan started to speak. "Tali…"

"Don't let your anger get the best of you," she advised. Tali gentle grabbed his face and pulled him closer to her to place a kiss on his forehead. Before disappearing, she said, "Try to gather some information out of him before he becomes incapacitated."

Lochlan stood still, staring at the area where Tali previously stood.

"She is right," Jareth sneered as he seized Powell's face, glowering at him. "When need to get him to talk."

Powell hacked back some saliva and then spat in Jareth's face. Jareth calmly conjured a crystal that transformed into a handkerchief, wiping away the spit from his eye and cheek. After tossing aside the fabric, Jareth's fist hit him squarely in the jar, causing it to crack.

"Considering that sound, it must be hard for you to talk," Jareth said, eerily calm as he conjured a scarf and wiping his face. "But if you value your life, you'll try your hardest."

* * *

"Oh, Tali! You're back!" Kalin loudly sighed when the half-elf walked through the dining hall doors. She jumped from her chair and eagerly approached Tali. "Please save me from these bickering non-siblings and an overbearing lover."

"We're not bickering," Sarah and Toby responded in tandem.

"How could you possible call me overbearing," Taggert said, affronted, as he stood next to the chair she formally occupied. "A crazed individual snuck into your castle and managed to harm a sitting king, yet you dare to call me _overbearing_?"

"Do you see what I've had to deal with?" Kalin muttered. She turned toward the worried centaur. "Jareth and Lochlan have everything under control, Taggert. They know what they're doing." She then turned back to Tali. "They do, right?"

"Where are they?" Sarah asked.

"At the Goblin castle," Tali answered. "Jareth has whoever did this. I think he said the fae's name is Powell."

"That's who Garrison said did this. He's outside the door," Sarah said. "Tell him everything you know." Tali gave a swift nod before leaving the room.

"How should we go forth, Your Majesty?" Taggert asked. "You have a bedridden yet alive Pixie guard with the healer and the bastard who did this is having the time of his life with two faes with Unseelie tendencies. So far, the knowledge of this incident hasn't leaked to the public. Yet you are leaving for the Elf Kingdom tomorrow. What should be done now?"

"Nothing, at least not until Jareth gives me the information he has," Sarah stated. She rested her head on the table and sighed in frustration before sitting back up and staring at Toby who sat across from her.

"We need to send you back home," she told him.

"What? No way," he protested. "I just got here. And someone is trying to kill Jareth? There's no way you can send me back."

"That's exactly why I have to send you back," Sarah pointed out. "This isn't a video game, Toby."

"What's a video game?" Taggert asked, bewilderment washing over his face.

"Why send him back? It's not like anyone is trying to kill Toby," Kalin said, sitting back down in her chair. "They're trying to assassinate Jareth." If looks could kill, Kalin would be dead because of Sarah. "What? It's true. The human is going to cause more problems and probably end up in the hands of those crazy people. If he's here with you, you can easily watch him."

"I like her," Toby said with a smile. But quickly his smile fell into a frown. "Although, I think she insulted me somehow."

"Shut up, Toby," Sarah snapped. "Kalin, stop making things difficult for me."

"She has a point, Sarah," Taggert conceded.

"I can't do this right now," Sarah sighed. "Do you have a room to put him in?"

"Like a cage?" Kalin smirked.

"Hey!" Toby exclaimed. "I thought you were on my side."

"I'm on whatever side will bring me the greatest amount of enjoyment," Kalin said. "Learn that quickly, human."

"I meant on the same floor as us," Sarah clarified, rolling her eyes.

"Of course, it's all ready for guests if you want to throw him into it," Kalin said.

"Really not cool," Toby muttered.

"C'mon," Sarah ordered as she rose from her chair, gesturing Toby toward the door. "I need a guard or two standing outside your room." She looked over her shoulder to see Taggert and Kalin still sitting at the table. "If you see him first, tell Jareth to see me immediately."

"Are you guys going to lecture me?" Toby complained as he was pushed out the door by Sarah.

"Absolutely," she responded.

* * *

Sawyer continued to circle around the newly formed camp located on the outskirts of the Troll kingdom among the trees in the savanna. They have been lucky enough to not draw attention to themselves, by passing the few trolls they saw when they arrived and haven't seen any since.

"If you keep moving around, the trolls are going to find us," a blond fae said as he rested against the trunk of a tree.

"Powell should have returned by now," Sawyer complained, stopping to rub his eyes in frustration. "Why isn't he back yet?"

"Hey! What's over there?" another fae asked, running to stand next to Sawyer and pointing into the horizon between the trees. The group stayed motionless hoping to not catch the potential intruders' eyes.

When Sawyer finally noticed who it was, he yelled, "Odhran! What the hell are you doing here? And who the hell is that?"

Odhran approached Sawyer and stood in front of him, face to face. He had to compose himself enough so he wouldn't punch the obnoxious fae in front of him.

"Did you forget? I was supposed to meet up with you guys at some point,"Odhran said. "Or did you hope that I would be captured as well?"

Flabbergasted, Sawyer was taken aback by his words. "Wh-What? I care about all of you out here with me. I was simply expecting Powell; that's all. Where is he?"

"I don't know," Sawyer said flippantly with a shrug as he took a step back from his supposed leader. "I haven't heard anything yet from him. And considering how much time has passed, he's probably rotting in a cell- if he's so lucky. Or maybe not so lucky."

Sawyer heard some rustling behind him as he looked over his shoulder and noticed the fifteen or so men behind him begin to look uneasy and restless.

"You don't know that," Sawyer spat as turn back toward Odhran.

"I don't know a lot of things," he acknowledged. "That's not the point. However, he is." Odhran grab the anxious appearing Palace guard, still in uniform, to stand next to him. "This is Brexton. He made friends with Eoran and defected. Unlike us, the Palace doesn't know he's with us. Tried to find us in the woods the other day, didn't you Brexton?"

Odhran playfully, yet forcefully slapped Brexton on the back causing him to cough. Brexton was a slight fae who was used to looking up at nearly every officer in his regimen. And Sawyer wasn't an exception. When his eyes finally met the leader of the defector's face, he was shocked at what he saw: a large smile.

"Brexton! Welcome!" he cried out with open arms. "And Odhran said that this was a futile mission, and no one would agree with us."

"Shows I'm the fool, doesn't it?" Odhran muttered as he stepped around them. "What do you have here? Boar? I guess that will do." He sat down in between two faes as one of them offered him a plate.

"Why are you sitting down?" Sawyer criticized. "We now have an essential person to our mission, and you want to sit and eat?"

"I'm hungry," Odhran stated with his mouth full. "And I thought _Powell_ was an integral to our mission."

"We can't dwell on the past," Sawyer said, snatching Odhran's plate from him. "I'm sure word will leak out about him soon. We all need to move on with new plans."

* * *

"He's told us nothing that we didn't know so far," Jareth stated as he walked toward the table, removing his blood stained gloves. "Either this Sawyer didn't trust him enough to tell him any plans…"

"Or they don't have any plans," Lochlan said, giving a brief look to the unconscious prisoner. "They're destructive yet foolish and reckless. I guess that's what makes them so potentially dangerous."

Jareth spun around to regard his brother. Lochlan inwardly smiled when he saw that Jareth's eyes were still black. For his older brother, tapping into his Unseelie magic was to lose control, to acknowledge that he was abnormal, different. However, Lochlan found, in past few months, that Jareth seemed to become more comfortable with his Unseelie nature. Lochlan approved.

"So, what should we do about this?" Jareth inquired.

"That sounds like a question you should have with your dearest beloved," he teased.

Jareth let out an inaudible grumble. "I need to get him to the Palace."

"What the hell for?" Lochlan asked.

"He was found on Seelie lands; Sarah must charge him and decide his punishment," Jareth explained.

Lochlan scoffed. "So much administrative nonsense."

"I don't want to keep him here. If I continue to look at him, I'll start using his teeth as knife sharpener again." Jareth knew he shouldn't, but a small satisfying grin formed across his face.

"I doubt that you'll find it difficult to do that again," Lochlan said.

"Nonetheless," he said. "He's not staying here."

"Let me take him," Lochlan offered.

"Why?"

"There's too much peace between the two Courts," Lochlan explained. "It's been a while since I had a Seelie in my dungeon. Plus, I'll save your Queen some paper work. I won't charge her for my services. You can tell her that she's welcome in advance."

A loud groan emanated from Powell who dangled, slumped against the wall. The anger that had subsided while the prisoner was incapacitated quickly returned and rose up within Jareth. Every time he saw or heard from that cretin hanging from his dungeon walls, Jareth was reminded of Powell and those like him who wished to tear Sarah from him. The moaning was rising along with Jareth's temper.

Powell released a strangled cough. "You can torture me all you want," he wheezed. "But we won't stop until your vile presence is washed away from our Queen."

Jareth grabbed a knife from the table and threw it at Powell, hitting him in his thigh.

"Shut up, you vile creature!"

* * *

A knock on the door brought Sarah back inside her temporary chambers.

"Enter," she called out. A guard walked in with Toby behind him.

"Apologies, Your Majesty," the guard said with a bow. "He _insisted_ that he speaks to you."

"Of course, that's fine," Sarah said, waving Toby inside. The guard left, leaving the two alone in her room.

"He makes me sound like I'm annoying or something," Toby gripped.

Sarah snickered. "Who could ever call you that?"

Toby turned in a circle to look at her room. "This is way bigger than mine."

"That room is not really yours," Sarah pointed out, gesturing for Toby to join her out on the balcony where she was before. "Besides, my room will always be bigger than yours."

"Oh wow!" Toby exclaimed as he walked out onto the balcony. "What is this place?"

"We're in the Pixie Kingdom- or I guess Queendom," Sarah said, correcting herself. "That over there is a group of small islands; all farmland for growing tea."

"That's crazy," Toby scoffed. "Who would want that much tea?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "A lot of people, Toby. A lot."

"I guess no matter how much I read about this place, nothing compares to the real thing," he mused. Toby gazed down as his feet and then looked over at Sarah. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I know I shouldn't have gone up that hill, but I just wanted to know why weird things happened around that place. I'm sorry."

Sarah exhaled deeply as her shoulders slumped. "I know. And I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have left you alone in that room."

"Hey, aren't you going to say you're sorry for freaking out on my earlier?" he asked.

"You're joking, right?" Sarah retorted, turning slightly toward him and raising a suspicious eyebrow.

"I mean, you were harsh on me," he said, defending himself.

"Seriously? Toby, you wandered into the Unseelie Kingdom," she said. "You had a sword pulled on you, and you were running for your life. Who knows what would have happened if Lochlan didn't find you or weren't wearing that bracelet. But you want me to apologize for yelling at you?"

"But you did it in front of new people," Toby mumbled. "It's kinda embarrassing."

"You think I embarrassed you? Wait until Jareth comes back," Sarah warned.

"Oh c'mon! We don't have to tell him," he moaned.

Sarah crossed her arms over her chest. "How would you explain to him how you got here?"

Toby contemplated the different possibilities of how he could explain his appearance as he gazed up at the sky. "Uh, um, uh…"

"Exactly what I thought you would say."

* * *

Afternoon tea had come and gone. Dinner had come and gone also. Starlight shone down with nary a cloud in the sky. Yet Jareth had still not returned to the Pixie Castle. And since the last time Sarah spoke to Tali, neither had Lochlan. Tali reassured her that they were fine, mostly because she didn't want Sarah to see what she saw. Sarah didn't ask what Tali saw, but she wasn't dim. Jareth and Lochlan weren't having a tea party with whoever shot an arrow at both of them.

Nearly an hour passed since she left Toby and ensured guards were outside his door, checking his room every hour or so. Sarah didn't really believe that he would run away or anything, but she didn't want to take any chances. So, that left Sarah alone in her chambers, occasionally sitting outside on the balcony and then to the table to work on Palace paperwork, and then walking back to her bed to lie down before starting the cycle over again.

At this moment, Sarah was lazily hanging over the balcony railing, listening to the summer evening sound consisting of various birds and insects. Staring out at the landscape was oddly calming for her- almost like meditation, she found her mind clear and empty of worry. She barely noticed the opening of the door and its subsequent slamming.

"Sarah?" yelled the demanding sounding voice. "Sarah! SARAH!"

She rolled her eyes at the overreaction in his voice before turning around to stroll into the room.

"You leave me all day and then have the nerve to show up, freaking out," Sarah said as she walked into the room. "Where do you…"

Jareth's mouth was on her lips, silencing anything else she had to say, catching her off guard. Pushing her against the wall, his naked hands latch onto her waist, ensuring she stayed where he wanted her. His lips travelled down her neck before he nipped her shoulder. Jareth leaned back, flashing his teeth in a wide leering smile.

"I missed you," he hissed before returning his mouth to her neck, yet not before Sarah noticed that his eyes were black instead of blue. That's when she knew that tonight was going to be a long night. Not that she was complaining, but Sarah did have some important things to tell him.

Jareth kissed her long and deep as he reached behind her to hoist her into the air, wrapping her legs around his body. Sarah grasped the fabric on his back while Jareth rolled his hips, causing her to moan. He walked over them over to the bed and tossed her onto the bed. As she saw him crawling toward her, Sarah tried to remember that she had something important to tell him.

"I have something to tell you," she whispered, mostly to herself. "Just give me a minute to remember." Then, Jareth grabbed the fabric of her night gown and ripped it straight down to the hem.

"Tell me tomorrow," he ordered. "Did I mention how much I missed you?"

"I can tell," Sarah groaned as he ripped away her undergarment. Her eyes went wide as she felt and saw Jareth's hand wrap around her throat before her eyes narrowed in lustful understanding.

"Remember the safe word?" Jareth whispered into her ear as he gave it a nip.

"Two," she whispered.

"And the signal?" he asked as he moved to hover over her, his hand massaging her neck. Sarah held up her hand to form the peace sign.

Jareth thrust into her in one possessive thrust. "Very good."

* * *

Tossing and turning in bed, Tali couldn't sleep. After exhausting herself from all her movement, she decided to lie on her side, staring out the windows of her chamber. She stayed in this position for nearly an hour before being interrupted.

"Are you awake, Tali?"

She laughed as she sat up in her bed, staring at the Unseelie King standing at the foot of her bed.

"If I was asleep, I wouldn't be now," Tali said. "It's called whispering. You should try it." She couldn't see his face as he walked over to the side of the bed. Tali magical lit the candles in the room, rubbing her eyes to the change of light. She turned to look at him and saw how exhausted he appeared. "When's the last time you slept? I told you to rest. I hate repeating myself."

"Sleep is greatly exaggerated," Lochlan mused as he grasped her hand, holding it tentatively in his. "Especially when there are much more important things to attend to."

"Such as yelling at advisors? I'm pretty sure he's gone to bed," Tali smirked.

"I still haven't decided if I should apologize for that," he confessed.

"Absolutely, you should," She quickly snatched her hand away. "Or at least understand why you are wrong. Your actions were rude and thoughtless toward him. You can't just treat others that way."

"Of course, I can," Lochlan scoffed. Tali let out a heavy sigh as she left the bed toward a side table at the opposite side of the room.

Grabbing a bottle of opened wine, she poured herself a glass while muttering to herself. "You're so obnoxious."

"Just so you know, I can hear you," Lochlan snarled as he finally stood from the bed. "If you're going to say something about me, say it to my face."

"Fine," Tali stated as she slammed her glass on the table. "You're an asshole."

"And?" he said with a shrug.

Tali tried to hold back a dumbfounded look. "And?! That is not an appropriate response to that accusation. Cormac may be tedious, and he may be dull, and he may be a stick in the mud, but that doesn't mean you get to slam doors in his face. By the way, did you threaten him in Sarah's office at the Palace?"

"That mousy elf squealed," he muttered to himseld as his lips curled into a scowl.

"No, he didn't," Tali corrected. "He's never spoken a work about you. Sarah told me."

"And after all I've done for her," Lochlan complained.

"That's not the point, Lochlan," she said, frustration rising in her. "You have no reason to treat someone that way, especially Cormac. He wouldn't hurt a fly. He might run away from it, but he wouldn't hurt it. He's not afraid of it; he just doesn't like things buzzing in his face."

Lochlan walked toward her, extending out a hand to caress her cheek once he reached her. "Don't I get some sort of credit for displaying how much I care for you? The idea of you becoming close to another male… When you're not with Sarah, you're with him."

Tali let out an amuse snort before she started to chuckle. Soon, she began laughing as she removed his hand from her face. Her change in demeanor confused him.

"And you… you're worried about Cormac?" she questioned, raising her eyebrows in amusement.

"Are you going to tell me what is so humorous?" Lochlan asked, becoming less amused with her rising laughter.

"I'm not really Cormac's type," Tali said, taking a sip of her wine, hoping that the liquid would cease her enjoyment of the situation. Lochlan's eyebrow creased together, misunderstanding clouded his features. "He prefers males," Tali whispered to him, as though there were other people in the room, mocking Lochlan's overall attitude toward the advisor. "Actually, he prefers his husband. And yeah, we spend a lot of time together which allows me to hear all the detailed arguments he has with his partner about whether they should move into the Palace, because his husband doesn't want to. It's actually becoming very annoying how they can't decide after all this time."

"Oh, well," Lochlan said quietly. "Why didn't you let me know?"

"I shouldn't have to!" she argued. "What if Sarah employs more advisors? Are you going to freak out then too?"

"Probably," he admitted. Tali's eyes went wide with disbelief. Before she could say anything, Lochlan said, "I already warned you. You know who I am. I'm over two thousand years old; I doubt that I'll change any time soon."

"You're so old," she teased. A sly smile crept across his face before he grabbed her waist and placing her on the tabletop, causing her yelp. A knock on the door surprised both of them.

"Lady Tali?" said the concerned guard's voice through the door. "Is everything all right?"

Lochlan began playfully poking her in the abdomen and neck, provoking small squeals and laughter from Tali. "I'm okay!" She tried to swat his hand away, but he kept going. "Stop touching me!"

"Are you sure everything is all right?" the guard asked again.

Lochlan turned his head to the side toward the door. "Piss off and mind your own bloody business, you prat!"

Suddenly, a sharp slap hit him across the side of his face. Although he should have been surprised, he wasn't really. His Little Bird always found a way to be unpredictable. Lochlan slowly turned back toward Tali as his hand rubbed the area that she hit. While she was hoping that she didn't look stunned by her own actions, Tali couldn't believe that she did that. But she really had enough of his condescending attitude. But the intense gaze on Lochlan's face made her reconsider her actions.

"Ever heard of the phrase 'Don't poke a sleeping bear'?" he growled.

No, actually, she hadn't. However, Tali didn't have a chance to answer him because his lips descended upon hers with a passionate kiss on the lips as one of his hands grasped the hair at the base of her head. She quickly lost herself in the roughness of his tongue, in the feeling of his teeth as he migrated to her neck and back to her mouth. He captured her bottom lip and tugged gently. The kiss devolved into an animalistic thrust of tongue against tongue. With one hand, Lochlan squeezed her breast and roller her nipple between his thumb and forefinger while she moaned into his mouth. Her mind went blank as her body throbbed in eagerness. The scent of her arousal hung thick in the air, driving Lochlan crazy.

"You're coming with me," he grunted, tossing her over his shoulder as they disappeared from the Pixie Kingdom.

Tali looked up from her strange perched position to see that Lochlan has taken her to his castle, actually his chambers.

"Put me down," she ordered. With a little snicker, Lochlan carefully placed her on her feet. "I hate it when you do that."

"Do you really?" he asked.

"You have annoying habits," Tali said quietly as she looped her arms around his neck.

"You enjoy my habits, and I'll ensure you enjoy other things I do as well," he purred before his mouth possessed hers as his hands slid under her nightgown, groping her anywhere and everywhere. Tali tried to kiss him back with the same greed, her tongue inside his mouth. Lochlan pushed her backward before she was stopped by the back of her knees hitting the bed frame. Tali lost her balance, falling backwards.

Lochlan was on top of her in an instant, pushing her further up the bed. He reached down to take each of her wrists in his hands, bringing them back to the bed on either side of her head, holding himself up as he began to rub against her. His eyes met hers as he moved against her, causing her to release a moan. She moved her head to the side, allowing free access for Lochlan. He bit her shoulder-hard. As she cried out, waves of pain and pleasure radiated throughout her body as her body trembled against his. Lochlan licked the harsh, red mark he created before placing a gentle kiss on her shoulder.

"Hm, does my Little Bird appreciate a little sour with her sweet?" he hissed before licking the edges of her ear. Tali turned her head to look him in the eyes. Her bright blue eyes gazed into his as her mouth curled into a knowing smile. She gave him a tiny nod as a predacious grin slowly crept across his face.

Lochlan released her wrist as one of his hands trailed down her collarbone. At the same time, he made both of their garments disappear. His hand found her breast, teasing it- squeezing it- as he leaned down to bite her lip. Then, he twisted her nipple, sending a spike of blissful pain through her.

Throwing her head back, Tali inhaled deeply as she grasped the sheets of the bed tightly in her hands. She tried not to yell again. As part elf, she found a weird pride on being able to be composed enough to not scream like a banshee in front of a lover. Tali already failed by screaming earlier, but she told herself to not do that again.

As though he read her mind, Lochlan growled, "Are you holding back on me?"

"Possibly," she exhaled as she felt his hand slowly snaking its way down her body. Tali looked down her body to see Lochlan crouched over her as he regarded her with an impish grin on his face. The sweat that formed across his body glistened his skin, making the tattoos across his back and arms appear almost fluid.

"Wrong answer, pet," he whispered. "I'll have you screaming yet."

Lochlan lowered himself to caress her stomach before kissing a trail down her body. She shivered when his long hair continued to brush against her inner thigh. The teasing way he moved closer to her sex then drew back induced emotions in her of need and frustration. Tali harshly raked his upper back with her fingernails, unconcerned with whether or not she drew blood. When his tongue finally penetrated her, she melted against him. His tongue circled her clit as two of his fingers entered her. A loud whimper rang through Lochlan's ears as his tongue continued its carnal assault.

"Open your mouth," he ordered. Not asking why, Tali complied as she opened her eyes as well. Lochlan inserted his fingers into her mouth. When her lips closed around his fingers, she released a moan when she realized those fingers were previously inside her. Lochlan lowered his body onto hers and brushing his cock against her opening. He kissed her slowly. Their tongues melted together as he pushed her thighs further apart. She broke the kiss to gaze into Lochlan's gleaming black eyes seeing the desire blazing within them. His cock pressed against the slick folds of her pussy. The head of his cock pushed into her. Before she could register the sensation, he surged forward, his hips falling hard against hers. She cried out in shock and blissful pleasure. She didn't have time to process everything that was happening before he rolled his hips, withdrawing partially before thrusting back into her. Tali's eyes rolled to the back of her head for moment as shocks of magical energy sparked between them.

Lochlan ceased his movement for a moment as he let out a strangled chuckle. "Are you all right?"

"Don't. Stop," she commanded as she kissed the inside of his wrist which was resting next to her.

Lochlan began his rhythmic movements, reducing her to a mass of writhing flesh. Allowing her body to take over, she arched her hips to meet his. As she wrapped her legs around his waist, he moaned into her ear. Tali clung to his naked back as he thrust into her again and again. He pinched her aching nipples, one after the other, never slowing his rapid thrusts. A crescendo of energy rushed up her spine a split second before her pussy pulsed and clamped down around his cock. She bit her bottom lip as she let out a stifled moan as violent spasms wracked her body.

Was she taunting him? Was she purposefully trying not to scream out the pleasure he caused in her? This would not stand; he wouldn't allow her.

Lochlan grabbed her thighs and spread her legs wide. Her thighs quivered as his repeated thrusts forced them further apart. Her breathing became more laborious as another orgasm rolled through her body, but she still was able to compose herself enough to not yell.

The intensity on Lochlan's face crested as he pushed deep, yet he pushed the rising tide of passion down. Suddenly, he pulled out and turned her over. He grabbed her hips and dragged her to her knees. Tali steadied herself with her hands as he pushed into her. He leaned over her and held her in place by wrapping an arm around her waist as he thrust deep into her. Tali bit the inside of her arm to stop herself from crying out.

Lochlan panted behind her. "Scream for me, Tali," he curtly ordered. She tried hard to stifle her voice, she really did. But she didn't have a choice. Her body when rigid, her pussy clenched his cock and pulled it deeper. She half-chocked on her next breath as powerful orgasm ripped through her. Tali convulsed against him, barely noticing the fact that the tattoos on her hand glow blue as she orgasmed, screaming out much to Lochlan's delight. He pinned her to the bed and within two thrusts, he let out a loud grunt into her ear. Thick streams of his seed jetted into her ravaged pussy. She could hardly move even without the Unseelie King on top of her back.

With shaky arms, Lochlan moved off Tali, pulling out of her reluctantly. Trying to compose himself, he gathered the exhausted half-elf into his arms and leaned back against his headboard. Lochlan brushed her damp brown hair from her face as her breathing began to normalize. Holding her close to his side, Lochlan had never felt more connected to anyone in his life. Granted, he was never really close to others, but that didn't diminish the emotions he was feeling for the female that he had next to him.

Silence stretched between them as they both looked out at the rest of his chamber. Lochlan broke the silence first.

"I made you scream," he said, clearly satisfied with himself.

"Shut your face," Tali murmured as she tried to bury her reddened face against his torso.

"Do you find shame in taking your pleasure?" Lochlan sincerely asked, pushing her onto her back, hovering over her. "I certainly love giving it to you."

"I'm not very… vocal during coitus," she admitted, the red in her face deepening. "I feel ridiculous yelling so much."

"Being ridiculous looks well on you," he smirked. "I promise to not tell a soul."

Tali felt his hardened length graze against her opening. "I thought you were tired?" Lochlan quickly sheathed himself into her causing her to yell out in surprise.

"I don't remember saying that."

* * *

"Oh, ouch," Sarah moaned before releasing an amiable sigh. Straddling her back, Jareth smirked at her response as he massaged her lower back, trying to take out the kinks that he recently caused.

"Not in too much pain, are you?" he asked, his thumbs rubbing into her shoulders.

Although Sarah didn't protest at any time that night, Jareth still felt the need to ensure that she was okay. He had a tendency to overwhelm people, but especially Sarah, which is why they decided to devise a safe word. Jareth knows he needs her touch as he needs air to breath, his heart darkens without her. Sarah might need him, but, in reality, he needs her more. She has no idea how much she means to him, not truly anyway. Jareth would never be the same without her because she is everything to him.

"I'm fine," she struggled to say as he pushed a certain pressure point in her spine.

"You don't sound fine," he countered.

"I feel like this massage hurts more than what happened earlier," she groaned.

"If I don't do this, you'll hurt more tomorrow," Jareth stated.

"Whatever," she huffed out.

Jareth chuckled softly before placing a kiss on her lower back, which made her shudder. "So, what's this news that you couldn't remember to tell me?"

"You didn't give me a chance to remember," Sarah chided. She didn't know how to tell him what occurred while he was gone. Plus, she was more focused on the feeling of her back. So, she just decided to tell him. "Toby's here."

Jareth's hands froze, ceasing the rubbing of her back. "What?!" he exclaimed.

Sarah turned on her back, frowning at Jareth. "Hey, why'd you stop?" she complained.

"How'd he get here?" he asked.

"Sheer will and adolescent stupidity, I assume," Sarah answered.

"Why are you not outraged?" Jareth asked.

"I was and still am," she responded. "But then I ate dinner and did some yoga. Stared at the tea farms for a while…"

"This is serious," he stated, his face setting into a frown.

"I realize that, but I didn't know what to do at the time," Sarah admitted. "Kalin and Taggert think Toby should stay; I originally wanted him to go. I just decided to place him in a guest room until we figure things out. Where are you going?"

"Where is he?" Jareth asked while he started to put his trousers on.

"Are you being serious?" she hissed. "It's like…Where's a clock when I need one?" Sarah looked around the room frantically for a clock before realizing that there wasn't one in this room. "It's late no matter what the time is. Let everyone have a peaceful sleep before you raise hell. Also, I still have a knot in my back that you need to get out." Sarah allowed a pout to form on her lips before it transformed into a smile.

The scowl on his face slowly morphed into a sly smile as he gazed upon Sarah's naked body lying on top of the sheets of their bed. "I assume I could wait until morning."

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

_How you turn my world  
You precious thing_

* * *

"Tobias Robert Williams," Jareth proclaimed as he walked into the dining hall. Sitting at the table was Toby, as well as Kalin and Taggert. Trailing behind the swift footed Goblin King was Sarah, followed by Cormac. Avoiding eye contact with anyone and appearing exhausted, Sarah rubbed her temples as she took the empty spot next to Kalin.

"Uh oh," Toby said to himself as he shoved several pieces of potatoes into his mouth. Jareth walked over to the vacant seat near the young human before pulling out the chair and sitting next to him.

"How thoughtful of you to abruptly drop in on us after we explicitly told you to stay away," Jareth said in an abnormally cheerful cadence as he leaned back in his seat.

Toby thought it was weird that Jareth was so amiable. Did Sarah not tell him everything she knew? Or was this a trap? Not knowing how to precede, Toby decided it would be better to play along. "It was thoughtful, I guess."

"I heard you made a little detour through the Unseelie Kingdom, is that right?" he asked, raising a single brow.

Toby looked over at Sarah who was speaking quietly to her advisor. Taggert was ignoring the situation at hand while gazing down at his plate. Kalin seemed to forget that there was still food in front of her as she tried to eavesdrop on the conversation, making it clear that she didn't care if they noticed her snooping or not.

"Answer my question," Jareth commanded, snapping his fingers in front of Toby's face.

"It was just a little detour," Toby mumbled as his shoulders slumped a bit.

The breakfast meal was laid out on the table, family style, allowing everyone to serve themselves. Jareth reached over to ladle some potatoes on his plate.

"I'm sure you must have been greatly frightened," Jareth stated, grabbing a piece of toast. Toby slowly nodded. "I don't believe I told you this, but as a child, I spent a few seasons at the Unseelie Castle. As uncouth as Lochlan may seem, he actually keeps that place in order."

"It didn't really seem that way," Toby snorted.

"Order is relative," Jareth argued in between the chewing of his food. "My uncle, the previous Unseelie King, was unconcerned with where his _subjects_ were and what they were doing. Although I was young, I remember many of the odd occurrences that I saw."

Forgoing his food, Toby turned fully toward Jareth. "Like what?"

"One time, a couple of draugar, which resembles a reanimated corpse and smells like one as well, were allowed near the portals to the Aboveground. A number of times humans would wonder through… The lucky ones were devoured whole. The other humans had their blood slowly drained from their body. Some had their flesh slowly ripped from their bodies. The howling screams- they were always considered normal back then."

"Jareth," Sarah sighed, shaking her head in resignation.

"That is one of the most revolting stories I've ever heard," Kalin said quietly, mortified at the storied being told.

"Don't be so faint of heart, Kalin," Jareth scolded, taking another bite of bread. "I didn't even begin to tell you of how my Uncle mourned the loss of his favorite concubine. Don't' worry; she didn't die. She was just tired of his shit. Nevertheless, he unleashed the Sluagh to slaughter the inhabitants of a town in Scotland."

Toby's eyes were wide with horror as he heard all that Jareth had to say. He had read about all these creatures, but to hear of how they acted in real life was fear-inducing.

"Why are you telling me this?" Toby asked. The cheerful demeanor that Jareth previously possessed his features disappeared and was replaced by a harsh frown. Before Jareth could say anything, Sarah interrupted him.

"Whatever you're going to say, don't do it here," she stated as more of a warning. Sarah already heard all of this and more when Jareth ranted to her early this morning, but she thought to save Toby the embarrassment of being completely dressed down in front of others.

"Follow me, Toby," Jareth sharply ordered as he stood from his chair and walking out of the hall. Reluctantly, Toby stood as well, but hesitated, looking back at Sarah.

"You definitely should follow him," Sarah said, a bit of sympathy in her eyes.

"Toby!" yelled Jareth from the hallway causing Toby to run out of the room.

"What's Jareth going to do to him?" Kalin asked.

"Mind your business, Kalin," Sarah told her.

"Stop telling me to do that," she said. "Why would I ever do that?"

* * *

Jareth slammed the doors open to the drawing room across the way from the dining hall, with a morose Toby straggling behind. Jareth turned his back on the human as he gazed out the window before magically closing the doors, leaving just the two of them alone in the room. After a few moments of silence, Toby couldn't stand the uneasy stillness anymore.

"Are you going to hit me or something?" Toby asked with trepidation in his voice.

Jareth quickly spun around to reveal a horrified yet disgusted look on his face. "I don't hit children," Jareth said. "Do you really believe that I would do such a thing, especially with you?"

"I don't know," Toby muttered with a shrug. He gazed down at the floor before returning his eyes to Jareth."You seem really pissed."

"Of course, I'm _troubled_ , Toby!" Jareth spat. "With very little thought, you left your world and entered ours. You trespassed on Unseelie lands and were nearly caught by Dark Elves. Did you know that Lochlan still has the discretion to chain you in his dungeon until you have been driven mad by your own thoughts?"

"No, but he wouldn't do something like that… right?"

"And how would you know that?" Jareth countered. "What if he is having a bad day or you forgot to wear your bracelet? Even though the Seelie Court is lenient on trespasser, what if the portal placed you in the Troll kingdom? They may not eat humans, but they have no problem treating them like dolls."

"I told Sarah I was sorry, okay?" Toby emphatically said. "I didn't mean to, but I'm already here. Sarah's fine with everything."

"You're confusing affability with Sarah wishing to avoid having any conflict with you," he said.

"I don't understand why you're so upset," Toby blurted out.

"There's a reason why we told you that we would escort you down here," Jareth said, his temper flaring. "You could have been hurt or killed. Toby- Sarah would have been mortified to have to inform your parents if something horrendous happened to you. We may have magic, but we are not gods. We can't save you from all that may do you harm."

Toby said nothing in response, yet Jareth continued his tirade.

"There's a reason for everything we do," Jareth articulated. "And we didn't tell you everything about us and this place-not because we thought it would be fun to keep secrets from you- but because _our_ world is not _yours_."

Silence stretched between them as Jareth began pacing to calm himself down while Toby stared at the ground, contemplating everything he was told.

"Are you going to send me back?" Toby whispered, regretting the trouble he caused.

"After all I've said and all you now know, you still want to stay?" Jareth asked, ceasing his stride.

"Yes?" Toby said. He wasn't sure if this was the right answer or not, but he really didn't want to go back to camp. Canoeing can't compare to what was happening here. "Sarah told me there's going to be a coronation tomorrow. I've never seen anything like that before. I haven't seen anything like this place before."

"If you stay, you will abide by some rules," Jareth said as he leaned against the wall, folding his arm across his chest. "And I mean follow these rules exactly. If you misstep in anyway, you will be sent back immediately."

Toby nodded his head in understanding but said nothing.

"First, you will treat me and, more importantly, Sarah with the proper respect due our station," Jareth stated. "You will always follow behind us- never walk in front of us. Do not use our given names if there are other people in our presence. From this moment forward, you will help her advisor with any mundane task that he has. We're not on vacation, and neither are you while you are here. And, you will not go anywhere without a guard and without our knowledge. Have I made myself clear?"

"Ah, man," Toby complained. He wasn't too thrilled with having a summer job. "Seriously?"

Jareth held up his hand, forming a crystal. "Or I could just send you back to home? The choice is yours."

Toby signed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll stay."

"Very well," Jareth said with a small grin. "Now, we have to do something about your wardrobe."

* * *

The feeling of a wet mouth up her back and along her neck woke Tali from her sleep. She blindly reached one of her hands behind her to caress Lochlan's face.

"I was actually sleeping," she moaned her complaint.

"Did you know that you talk in your sleep?" Lochlan asked as he moved his trail of kisses to her shoulder.

"What? No, I don't," Tali refuted, turning on her back to see him. "Do I?"

"I thought it was an odd occurrence the other night," he said as he rested a hand on her bare hip. "But now I certain it's a habit of yours."

Mortified of all the possible declarations she could have said in her sleep, Tali asked, "What did I say?"

"Not much, actually," Lochlan said. "Just about how incredible a lover I am, and how you want to stay here all day."

"I did not," she denied with a laugh, slapping him across the arm.

"Ah, but you could have," he purred. Lochlan moved over her, placing open kisses on her skin as he moved down her body. His tongue dipped into her navel as he gazed up to see that Tali was staring intensely back at him as her breathing increased.

A knock on the door broke the spell between them, enraging the Unseelie King.

"Stay there!" Lochlan yelled to whoever knocked on the door. "I'll deal with you later."

"Lochlan. He's just doing his job," Tali chastised. Her rebuke made him roll his eyes.

"Don't worry! I won't kill you!" he amended.

"Your Majesty," said the calm individual on the other side of the door. "I have a missive from the Seelie Court. It's marked as urgent."

Rolling off the bed, he walked toward the door completely naked.

"Put on some clothes," Tali hissed as she buried herself under the bedcovers.

"It's my bloody castle," Lochlan responded as though that was the most obvious reason in the world. He opened the door to see a dark fae guard standing at the entrance with a note in hand. "When did you receive this note?"

"A few minutes ago, Sire," he answered as he presented the letter to his king. Lochlan snatched the note from his hand before slamming the door in the messenger's face. Tali sat up in bed as she ruefully shook her head.

_At least, he does that to everyone_ , she thought. A sharp laugh from him brought Tali from her thoughts.

"What's so funny?" she questioned. Lochlan walked over to her and offered the letter to her. Although confused that he would allow her to read a message sent to him from the Court, she wasn't going to turn the opportunity for insider knowledge.

_Dear Lochlan the Terrible,_

_I have come to the knowledge that you have taken my lady-in-waiting late last night, and she is still in your custody. Don't pretend as though you don't have her. Return her at once or feel the wrath of a thousand suns descend upon you._

_Sincerely,_

_Sarah, Queen of the Seelie Court_

_P.S. No joke. Hurry up. We're almost ready to leave._

"Seems as though I am needed elsewhere," Tali laughed, handing the note back to him.

"Not as much as I need you," Lochlan drawled, grabbing her arms and pulling her until she was flushed against his torso.

"Aww. Who says you aren't sweet?" she asked before giving his nipple a gentle tug with her teeth, causing him to groan.

"Everyone," he purred. Lochlan pushed her back to the bed, lifting her legs to push her further onto the mattress.

"I have to go," Tali feebly protested as she felt his hardness pressed against her stomach.

"There's no rush; you're already late," Lochlan reasoned before capturing one of her breasts in his mouth.

* * *

Brexton tried not to allow his nerves to get the better of him, but he could feel the sweat forming at his brows. Hopefully, he could say the heat was getting to him. Odhran sat down next to him as the group waited for breakfast to finish cooking.

"Nothing like warm gruel in the morning, right Brexton?" Odhran declared loudly enough for those around him to hear what he said. He then leaned in to whisper into Brexton's ear. "If you continue to act as though you're about to shit your pants, everyone is going to know something is wrong."

Brexton breathed in deeply before exhaling, feeling as though he was going to vomit.

"How many years have you been a Palace guard?" Odhran asked.

"One year," he answered with all the confidence he could muster, which wasn't much.

"Of course, you're a newbie. However, you're running out of time," Odhran hissed. "Go make yourself useful."

Almost forgetting that he had a job to do, Brexton jumped to his feet and exclaimed to everyone in the camp, "I have to use the restroom!"

The camp went silence as Sawyer and everyone else turned toward him, giving him looks of amusement and confusion. Odhran slapped his own forehead in frustration.

"By all means," Sawyer chuckled. "Use any tree. But make sure it's far from here."

"Bug off, idiot," Odhran muttered, pushing him away. Brexon ran off into the woods, out of sight from those in the camp, mostly because no one wanted to see what was wrong with him.

"He's an odd one," Sawyer said as he sat next to Odhran, handing him a bowl of porridge.

Running several hundred feet from camp, Brexton hoped his bizarre antics didn't cause anyone to follow him. He came to a stop behind a trunk of a tree, peering around it to ensure no one was watching him. Brexton reached into his shirt and pulled out two sheets of paper that he quickly folded together. Although he kept the paper close to him, Odhran actually drew images since he was better at sketching. Creating a crystal and placing the paper in it, he chanted into the orb, before it disappeared.

* * *

Lochlan appeared with Tali in the main courtyard of the Pixie Castle, seeing immediately the chaos of several servants packing luggage into the carriages.

"Welcome back," Sarah said, standing behind them.

Tali was startled before turning around as Lochlan continued to study the movements of the workers. She didn't know even how to respond to Sarah. "Oh hey…"

"We didn't touch your stuff," Sarah told her, trying to suppress her grin. "Thought you might want to pack your own bags. But, I suggest you go pack now, or Kalin and her subject are going to start auctioning it off to the highest bidder. A few pixies are already eyeing that blue dress of yours."

"Oh shit!" Tali uttered as she ran to the castle doors.

"She's clearly not thinking straight," Sarah mused as she walked to stand next to Lochlan. "She could have just transported there." She turned to look up at Lochlan who wore no clear expression on his face.

"Seems as though she doesn't know when to go to sleep," he said with a wink as he walked to the other side of the courtyard where Jareth stood next to Garrison, commander of the Palace Guard. He heard Sarah chuckling as she walked to the doors to the castle.

"We need to talk," Lochlan said as he approached the duo, ignoring the fact that Jareth and Garrison were conversing.

"I'm a little busy right now, as you can clearly see," Jareth retorted, annoyed with the disruption. The commander and the Goblin King were trying to decide on the layout of security as they traveled to the Elf Kingdom. Sarah already ordered the addition of more guards, but she had no patience for the minutia that these two enveloped themselves in.

"This is important," Lochlan said urgently.

"Important to you? Or what is considered important by the average fae?" Jareth asked.

Lochlan approached his brother and leaned in, whispering in his ear. "I need to talk to you… please."

Jareth wasn't even sure that Lochlan knew the word 'please' let alone how to properly use it in a sentence.

"Go with your plan, Garrison," Jareth said, handing the plans to the commander.

"We should be ready in an hour, Your Majesty," Garrison stated with a small bow before walking over to a group of guards.

"What is of such dire importance, Lochlan?" Jareth asked, feeling annoyed and intrigued at the same time. Lochlan snatched Jareth's arm and transported them both to the Unseelie Castle. When they appeared, Jareth ripped his arm from his brother's grasp. "Don't ever do that again."

Lochlan ignored his protest as he gazed out the window of his throne room. "I need help."

"You seem to be saying that more to me lately," Jareth pointed out with a smug look on his face. "Not that I'm complaining. I'm enjoying this existential crisis that you're having."

"This is serious," Lochlan said as he began pacing, shaking his fist in rhythm to his words. "I'm feeling overwhelmed. No, that's not what I mean. What I mean is…"

"Are you scared of becoming less of a git?" Jareth inquired, leaning against the wall. "Loving some isn't for the weak, is it?"

"I never said I loved Tali," Lochlan objected.

"I believe you're protesting too much," Jareth insisted.

"There's no reason that we should be using this time to parse over who said what and when," Lochlan stated.

"You asked for my advice in the past, but now you asked for my help by using the word 'please'," he said. "I'm going to analyze and revel in everything you say."

Ignoring his brother's gloating, Lochlan shook his head ruefully. "I know I have grumbled about things changing, but I find myself wanting things that I never wanted before."

"Is this a bad thing?" Jareth asked.

"Yes! No… Possibly," Lochlan amended quickly.

"Did you believe that you would spend your life alone in the castle?" Jareth asked. "Breaking up pookah fights gets old after a while."

"I am fine with it," Lochlan admitted. " _Was_ fine with it. It's what I've known, and I became comfortable with it. My life wasn't supposed to contain an Unseelie Queen or proclamation of feelings. But now." His statement died on his tongue, not willing to say fully what he was thinking.

"Did you tell Tali any of this?"

"No," Lochlan snapped. "But I nearly did. I know you're going to tell me to grow up, but I'm not you, Jareth. I never thought I would find myself consumed by another."

"The way I see it, now that you have an idea of what being with Tali entails," Jareth said. "You can either push her away or tell her how you truly feel."

Lochlan stopped walking to rest against the wall opposite Jareth. He scowled and released an annoyed grunt.

"No one else besides Tali has to know that you have feelings that more than just homicidal," Jareth offered. "You'll find that she'll make you stronger- allowing you to be more than this pompous caricature."

* * *

As soon as Jareth appeared in the Pixie castle's main courtyard, he saw Garrison quickly approaching him.

"Your Majesty, we received a message from Brexton," Garrison stated as he came to a stop in front of him, holding out two sheet of paper.

"What does it say?" Jareth said, grabbing the sheets from the commander.

"There's several ambush areas planned for the three main roads that lead into the Elf Kingdom," Garrison reported. "Since they're not quite sure which road we will take."

Jareth rubbed his forehead as he looked at the detailed drawing of the plan.

"Also," Garrison continued. "Brexton has paired with a former guard named Odhran. I won't give you the backstory on him, but I know him well- a close friend of Eòran. Apparently, he has had a change of heart. He's asking for some sort of clemency from the Court for his role."

"That ruling needs to be made by Sarah," Jareth muttered. "I hope this Brexton didn't promise something that might not be delivered."

Without warning, Lochlan appeared in front of the duo- again.

"Do you think Tali would appreciate watching pookahs and elves fighting to the death?" he asked his brother.

Jareth couldn't figure out where that idea came from if he tried. The look on Garrison's face mirrored the Goblin King's.

"What… Why would you consider such a thing?" Jareth asked.

"Jareth!" Tali shouted from the castle doors.

The three males turned in her direction as Jareth broke from the group, marching toward her.

"What's the matter?" he asked with concern in his voice.

"Go to the healer," she said quickly. "Sarah… she screamed in pain and then fainted." As soon as the words left Tali's mouth, Jareth disappeared from view.

* * *

"I'm fine, Lily," Sarah insisted as the healer checked over her for the fifth time. The elf's hands hovered over Sarah's chest, slowly making their way down her abdomen.

"I have to make sure I don't miss anything, Your Majesty," Lily replied with a sweet smile. The petite, raven haired elf hoped that her nerves wouldn't get in the way of her work. Although she was used to being around Kalin, she never thought she would be treating the Queen of the Court. "The one time I decide not to be thorough will not be with the Queen of the Court."

Sarah rotated her head toward the entrance to the infirmary.

"Is that door locked?" she asked as she picked at her white infirmary gown provided by the healer.

Lily considered the door before standing to jot down some notes on her pad of paper.

"Yes, of course," Lily answered. "I wouldn't want just anyone to come in here."

"You should unlock it," Sarah suggested, turning her attention to the white linens of the bed.

"Why?" Lily asked.

A violent bang shook the door followed by unabashed series of swearing. "Sarah!"

Sarah turned to Lily, giving her a small smirk. The healer walked over to the door, unlocking it. The door flew open as she pushed herself against the wall, ensuring she wouldn't be mowed over.

Jareth looked panic and anxious as he rushed toward Sarah. "What happened?" he asked.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Sarah reassured him, carefully sitting up in the bed. "I told Tali not to worry you."

"You thought about not telling me about this?" Jareth challenged, outraged that she would consider such an action.

"Ugh," she grunted, displaying her frustration. "Lily, tell him I'm fine, and nothing's out of order."

"Well, you are fine," Lily muttered as she walked over to the empty chair on the other side of the bed.

"What do you mean by that?" Jareth asked, his brows creasing in worry. "There's something out of order?"

"It's only indigestion," Sarah stated, before turning to Lily. "Right? I just ate too many potatoes and breakfast rolls earlier."

Jareth grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her toward him. "Tali said you cried out in pain before you fainted," he said tersely.

"Indigestion causes pain, you know," she countered, unhooking his hands from her.

"Your Majesty, I think you're pregnant," Lily blurted out, hoping to silence the bickering pair. Her strategy worked; both monarchs ceased their squabbling and blankly stared at the healer.

"What do you mean 'I think'?" Jareth asked, his voice going low.

"The pregnancy would be early- very early," Lily explained. "But I can sense some sort of magical energy, different from your own, in your abdomen- where you said you felt pain earlier."

"Is that normal?" Jareth questioned. The idea that the cause of Sarah's pain occurred in the same place where their child was growing had him unease.

"Yes," Lily answered. Not seeing the tension leaving his face, she tried her best to calm his fears. "Some faes feel pain and have fainting spells. Others vomit for months at a time, while others don't know they're pregnant until a month or two before giving birth."

"So, I'm pregnant?" Sarah softly asked.

"Remember, I said I think, but I should have Rowena look over my notes," Lily said, standing from her seat. "Another thought, she should be here. Stay here; I'll go to the Palace and get her, okay?"

"Okay," she hazily answered.

Lily quickly walked out, leaving them alone in the Pixie Castle infirmary. Staring down at the hands in her lap, Sarah felt numb, almost disconnected from everything around her. Her heart was pounding out of her chest as her breath became shallower. The feeling of Jareth's hand grasping a hold of her own brought her back down as she turned her head to look at him.

"We might be pregnant," Sarah whispered to him. Although Jareth was nearly ecstatic at the prospect of her being with child, he knew more than his fair share of stories regarding false pregnancies. That was a cruel thing the Fates placed upon the faes: ensure that having children was nearly impossible and then giving many hopeful would-be parents with false pregnancies.

"Let's wait until Rowena arrives, yes?" he said with a sad smile on his face.

"Oh yeah," Sarah said in hushed tones, remembering the caveat Lily stated. "I forgot."

"No frowning," Jareth said, lifting up her chin with hand. "We can just continue trying if this is not the time for us."

"Yeah, you're right," she whispered before kissing the corner of his mouth. A knock on the door caused Sarah to jump.

"Come in," Jareth called out, still holding Sarah's hand.

"I came as soon as I could," Rowena stated, holding papers in her hand. "I couldn't understand why Lily was so crazed when she arrive at the Palace. She's normally so calm. Now, I know why."

"So, I am?" Sarah eagerly asked.

"That's why I'm here," Rowena cheerfully said. "I trained Lily years ago; she's very good. Lily should trust herself more. But, I assume she didn't want get anything wrong."

Feeling restless, Jareth stood from his chair and began pacing around the room.

"Lie down," The healer instructed, sitting next to Sarah on the bed.

"Can we do this somewhere else?" Sarah complained. "It's way to clean and white in here- very sterile."

Rowena chuckled and shook her head as her glowing hands hovered over Sarah's abdomen. "I never understand why everyone complains about that. Wouldn't you want this place to be clean and sterile?"

"I guess," she muttered as she found herself distracted by Jareth's movements. "Just not use to it."

Nearly five minutes passed before Rowena moved her hands away from Sarah, picking up the notes that Lily made.

"So?" Jareth asked, demanding an answer. He was quite tired of this being patient nonsense. "Was Lily correct or no?"

"Yes and no," Rowena muttered while she kept her head down while scribbling her own notes on the paper.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Jareth questioned, annoyed with her coyness.

"You're pregnant," Rowena stated, lifting her head to reveal a huge smile. "With twins."

Sarah blinked twice. "Huh? Come again?" She sat up and rested against the headboard, not believing the words Rowena said. Even Jareth stood frozen in his spot, saying nothing but the disbelief showed clearly on his face.

"I felt two different and unique magical energies and so did Lily, actually," Rowena explained as she handed the paper to Sarah. "But she thought it was an abnormality. That's why she didn't trust herself. She's never encountered fae twins before." Rowena looked to Jareth and then back at Sarah. "I'll give you two a moment while I go talk this over with Lily." The healer walked out of the room, leaving the two alone.

"She said twins," Sarah whispered, unsteady hands try to grasp the paper while attempting to read the details. "This paper says twins." Jareth marched over her and got in the bed with her, carefully grabbing the paper from her hands.

"I'm having twins," she reiterated, staring at her lap. Feeling tears form in her eyes, Sarah wiped the corners of her eyes before turning to face Jareth as his face break out into a mouth splitting grin. "I'm pregnant, and we're having twins."

Jareth grabbed her cheeks and began placing kisses all around face before kissing her deeply on her lips, with a hunger that displayed how he fully felt about her. Sarah released a startled moan before lightly pushing him back. He leaned his forehead hers as he began laughing softly.

"You're marvelous. Do you know that?" he whispered before kissing her again. "Just when I thought you couldn't surprise me, you do it again."

"Don't act like I planned this," she said, tears falling to her gown. "I'm just as surprised." Jareth straddled her legs and pushed her back down to the bed. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I love you," Jareth professed, pressing his body against hers as he slowly lifted the hem of her dress.

"I love you too," she whispered as he kissed her shoulders and moved down her chest. "No. Don't. She's going to be back soon."

As though on cue, Rowena knocked on the door and quickly entered the room.

"Oh gods," she stammered, turning her head away, trying to find the door knob. "My sincerest apologies."

"No, don't leave," Sarah insisted, pushing a disgruntled Jareth off of her. "We're modest, if that's what you're worried about."

"It didn't even cross my mind to wait for an answer," Rowena said apologetically. "Still not use to having monarchs around who actually like each other."

"Please don't worry about it," Sarah reassured her. "Can I get out of bed now?"

"Just wait and settle down for a moment. Both of you," Rowena said, giving Jareth a pointed look. He sat in the chair next to Sarah.

"Lily was right about her original assessment," she said. "You're almost a month along. I know you are familiar with human pregnancies, but this will be different. A normal fae pregnancy takes about five to six months. However, in my practice, twins gestate for seven to nine."

"How many of twins have encountered during your practice?" Jareth asked.

"Two," Rowena responded. At Jareth's distraught appearance, she tried to quickly rectify the situation. "This isn't normal."

"Now that I think about, I hear that a lot about us," Sarah muttered.

"If I surveyed all the healers in the Court, I would wager that the total number of twins born would barely reach the number of fingers on my hands," Rowena defending herself. "We will treat this as a normal pregnancy: eat, drink what you like, but I suggest you stay away from that poitín and Goblin Ale- mostly because it usually causes people to act reckless. Can't have that while pregnant, now can we? And as time progresses, I will monitor you closer, ensuring that everything is going well."

"Pack your bags, Rowena. You're coming with us to the other kingdoms," Jareth order as he stood from his chair.

"I am?" the healer asked, confused.

"What are you talking about Jareth?" Sarah asked, confused as well. "She stated that everything is normal. People don't have a healer following them around, especially at the beginning of a pregnancy."

"You are not just anyone, Sarah," Jareth growled.

Seeing that she wasn't needed at the moment, Rowena stood up and walked towards the door. "I won't go back to the Palace yet; I'll be in the courtyard if you need me."

"Look at that? You scared her away," Sarah complained as she turned her legs to the side of the bed to stand. But Jareth moved quickly, preventing her ability to get up

"Sawyer is still out there," he stated, staring into her eyes. "The moment he finds out…"

"Why would we announce this? It's imprudent to announce any pregnancy this early, to anyone, let alone the entire Court," she explained.

"More reason to have the healer with us," he countered. "And this road trip ends here."

"What? No way," Sarah protested. "I can be in a carriage. I mean, Aboveground you can fly in plane while pregnant. You are overreacting."

Jareth stood to his full height and pulled out several pieces of paper from the breast pocket of his jacket.

"Read this and tell me whether I am overreacting," he stated, handing her the missives. Sarah reached out and took the papers

"Oh damn," she whispered, reading over the smuggled plans. "When did you get this?"

"Not long ago," Jareth answered. "Shortly before your fainting spell."

"I guess Brexton infiltrated the camp," she huffed out, moving him aside so she could finally get out of bed. "We can't simply stop the caravan from going to the Elf Kingdom."

"I just said this road trip of yours is over," he said. "Do you enjoy willfully ignoring me?"

"Yes, but this time I wasn't ignoring you," Sarah confessed. "If a bevy of carriages don't go down that road today, someone there will suspect a mole, and Brexton will be caught."

"I don't care where the damn carriages go," Jareth said. "You will not be a part of this anymore. A year from now you can travel the countryside as much as you like, but not at this moment."

"You're so damn bossy," she mumbled under breath as she moved to walk to the door. Plans need to be changed, and she needed to tell Garrison as soon as possible. But she was held back by a gentle yet firm arm snaking around her waist, pulling her backwards.

"Don't be cross with me, Precious," he pleaded, nuzzling her neck.

"I'm not upset with you," Sarah sighed, closing her eyes slowly before opening them to look at him. "I'm only tired. I tried to not let it be known for the past week, but I'm exhausted."

"This tour of the Court needs to be put on hold," Jareth asserted. At the look of protest in her eyes, he cut her off before she could say anything. "You're fatigued, and now you know why. Toby is here, and this Sawyer intends on causing more trouble. And did I notice you sending Lydia a missive this morning telling her to commence planning the wedding?"

"Well, it needs to be planned," she acknowledged. "And I can't cancel the tour. I have to crown the elf queen tomorrow. The other kingdoms have already put so much into this… all the subjects have been waiting- I _can't_ cancel this."

Jareth sighed as he grasped her face allowing his thumbs to caress her cheeks.

"I won't allow you to work yourself to death," he said.

"That's crazy talk," Sarah said, rolling her eyes, as she reached up to hold his wrists. "I need to do this. It's important to me as well."

Jareth dropped his hands to his side. "The moment you start feeling ill…"

"I will do _something_ when that something actually happens," she assured him. "When I passed out, I immediately came here, didn't I?

"That thought doesn't give me comfort. Therefore, I'll take over your administration functions for the time being," he stipulated. "That should allow you several hours of rest…"

"Why? I'm pregnant not ill," Sarah said. "I was pregnant yesterday, yet I still found a way to get my work done. All of it because that's how awesome I am."

"Sarah…"

"No. We're not doing this. I'm nipping this in the bud right now," she interrupted, shaking her head in disapproval of his proposed actions. "I didn't suddenly turn into porcelain. I'm not fragile; I'm a fully functioning being!"

"Who happens to be carrying my children!" Jareth snapped. " _Our_ children, Sarah."

Sarah saw the distraught look on his face before he turned away as he rubbed his hands across his face. Almost unconsciously, Sarah closed the distance between them, wrapping him in a close embrace as she held him close, resting her cheek on his back.

"I'm going to be a father," he breathed, barely believing the words he was saying, as he rested a hand on the wall to keep his balance.

"Yeah. And you know what? You're going to be a great one," she proclaimed. Sarah rubbed his stomach before giving his torso a gentle squeeze. Quickly realizing that the two of them would fight like cats and dogs and never give an inch, Sarah thought it better to acquiesce on this issue. "And you're going to drive me crazy. But, I guess I can allow you to help me. You can do all the work while I lay around and get fat."

Jareth chuckled as he turned around, his eyes displaying the insurmountable amount of joy and desire he felt toward the fae in front of him. She has given him everything, and he was going to ensure that everything went smoothly for her.

"Regardless of how _rubenesque_ you become," he said as his hands rested on her hips. "You will always be the loveliest creature I've ever seen."

"I'll have you eating those words soon," Sarah snickered. "As I eat everything else."

* * *

"Did you send the plans?" Odhran hissed as he and Brexton stood on a hill overlooking a road that led to the Elf Kingdom. Since Brexton was green, Sawyer teamed up Odhran with the new guy while a few in the group carried out the plan.

"Yes, yes," he contended. "Of course, I did. I don't understand why this is happening. Maybe they didn't think that my information was reliable."

The royal caravan could be scene traveling down the road, nearly three hours away from the Elf castle. But, there were six of Sawyer's men lying in wait, ready to strike. The goal was to kill the Goblin King, but if security was too high, the group would settle for severe injury.

"We have to do something," Brexton hastily said. However, Odhran grabbed his shirt, ceasing any dumb action Brexton was about to partake in.

"If you go down there to warn them, you'll blow your cover," he warned. "And then we'll both be dead."

Before Brexton would have countered that argument, loud cries came from the road, catching their attention. Several dozen Palace guards sprang out of the carriages, surprising Sawyer's crew, who happened to be caught completely off guard. Outnumbered, a few of them fought to the death, but most decided to surrender to the Palace guards.

"We need to run back to base," Odhran ordered as he started to retreat.

"What? Why? Where are you going?" Brexton asked, following him.

"We were ambushed, and we need to appear disheveled," he explained with a smile. "Get your sad face ready. Sawyer has some news to hear."

* * *

"My brother is right," Lochlan said aloud as he paced back and forth, wearing a groove in his dungeon's stone floor. "Yes, there is a part of me that is apprehensive about being open with Tali. For the first time in two thousand years, my life is changing, but that doesn't mean that it's a bad thing. I should be open to change more. More open to chaos. I am an Unseelie after all. I can still be me."

A strangled cry stopped Lochlan's rambling. He spun around to see Powell tired up to a rack. The device was a rectangular, wooden frame that sat slightly above the stone ground with a roller at both ends. Powell's ankles were fastened to one roller and his wrists chained to the other. His body was stretched passed its capacity because Lochlan already used the lever to dislocate his shoulders and knee caps from their joints.

"If you're concerned that I have forgotten about you," he said, approaching his victim. "I haven't. I'm actually glad you're around; I need the distraction."

Lochlan leaned over to stare Powell down. "Yesterday, my brother took his time getting to know you, but it's a shame that I didn't get a chance to properly thank you for nearly injuring the love of my life and giving me this scar."

"I don't…give a …shit about…you," Powell choked out as sweat rolled down his forehead.

"Ah, yes," Lochlan snorted walking over to a small fire pit in the corner of the dungeon. He picked up a fireplace poker that was resting in the flames. "You were trying to kill my brother."

Powell's eye widen in fear as Lochlan approached him.

Lochlan forcefully placed the hook of the fire poker in between Powell's toes.

"Unfortunately for you, I actually like my brother," he hissed.

* * *

"I look stupid," Toby complained as he walked out of the bathroom. Looking at Sarah for some sort of reassurance but not finding any. "Do I really look stupid?"

"That's not the word I would use," she told him, trying not to laugh. "I'm just not used to seeing you dressed like this."

"You look dashing, Toby," Tali said with a genuine smile, standing next to Sarah in one of the may guest rooms.

Several hours ago, the royal entourage arrived at the Elf castle, appearing near the castle gates to greet onlookers. No one had heard from Garrison whether the counter-ambush was a success. However, before they left the Pixie Castle, Sarah had a royal seamstress measure Toby for his new wardrobe. Now, he was forced to try all his new clothes. Focusing on Toby's new attire was a decent distraction until the heard the news.

"I feel dumb," Toby whined as he picked at his trousers and billowy shirt.

"I understand why you are feeling that way, but it shouldn't be because of the clothing," Jareth smirked as he leaned back in the overstuffed sofa.

An abrupt knock had them all staring at the door.

"Come in," Sarah called out. The door opened to reveal Gwendolen, the Countess of Muirias flanked by two Elf guards. Sarah approached her, arms open to embrace the soon to be queen. "Countess Gwendolen." The planned future elf queen was lithe elf of average height with her pointed hers pierced with a row of piercings trailing up her ear lobes. Although her hair was completely grey and she was nearly seven thousand years old, her purple eyes always sparked with an impishness that usually manifested through her sharp tongue.

"Your carriages just arrive- without you," Gwendolen pointed out. "Garrison has this place nearly locked down and has upped the amount of Palace Guards. Also, you now have a human in your entourage? Would I be speaking out of place to say that you have forgotten to tell me something?"

Sarah and Gwendolen had yet to spend much time together- there had just been too much occurring on both sides for many meetings to occur. However, oddly enough, they became close through various correspondences. The soon to be elf queen proved herself to be even-tempered but never dull. Sarah learned early that Gwendolen was an amazing storyteller- something Sarah always appreciated in a person.

"It's a long story," Jareth groaned as his head leaned back against the cushion.

"Well, a long story must always be supplemented with some spirits," Gwendolen declared, clasping her hands together. "Come. The wine to celebrate the coronation just arrived, and I wish you all to try some before Eveline consumes it all."

"Can I have some wine?" Toby asked with enthusiasm in his voice.

"No," Sarah quickly replied.

"Of course," Jareth answered at the same time.

* * *

"How the hell did this happen?" Sawyer raged at the two shabby looking faes in front of him. "Well? Answer me!"

Odhran swallowed hard before answering. He knew Sawyer had a temper, most of them did. Yet, he never saw him like this before.

"We didn't have time to notice anything," Odhran lied. "The guards captured everyone. We had to get out of there."

"And I guess you were too busy peeing your trousers to be of any use," Sawyer railed against Brexton.

"Calm down, Sawyer," a white haired fae said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Sawyer spun around, hitting the fae in the jaw sending him to the ground.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" he spat.

A light brown haired fae standing near Odhran stood up from his spot with a disgusted look on his face.

"Hey, plans go awry sometimes, but that doesn't mean you should spaz out like this," he said. "We all are here for a reason. Hell, Fates only know if Powell is even alive, yet we are still here with you."

The fae slowly walked back, away from the camp. "However, if you are going to act like this… There's just no reason to turn on each other." He turned to walk away.

"Are you leaving the group, soldier?" Sawyer called out.

"Uh yeah," the deserter said, stopping to look at his former leader. "Maybe others aren't willing to say it, but you're becoming more full of shit as time goes on; and I don't need this anymore."

Sawyer reached into his back pocket and flicked out a knife. Suddenly, he threw it at the fae, hitting him straight in the heart with a knife, an iron bladed knife. The fae's eyes went wide with shock before he fell back with a loud thud, his head cracking on a small boulder.

"Shit!" Odhran yelled as he and the rest of the camp stood in place, shellshock.

Sawyer calmly walked over to the deceased fae and pulled his knife out, wiping the blood on the dead fae's shirt.

"Is anyone else considering leaving?"

* * *

"No wonder there are guards in every corner," Gwendolen mused, sipping her wine. "Congratulations for keeping this information sealed. The citizens of the Court would be frozen in fear if they knew these miscreants got so close to you."

"I know, but we are trying to stay ahead of them," Sarah said. "Everything would have been a lot worse if we didn't send a mole."

"You know, you could postpone the coronation for a few days…"

"No," Sarah interjected. "The elves need a queen, and a queen we will give them."

"And when will you announce the engagement?" Gwendolen asked.

Bewilderment crossed Sarah's face before Jareth interrupted her confused thoughts.

"You continue to forget that you have your ring on," he said.

"Of course, I'll get used to it soon enough," she said. "Lydia is beginning the planning, but we didn't want to ruin your day. The announcement will probably be in a few days."

"Oh please," Gwendolen said with a dismissive wave. "I care not about the attention. I only wish to continue the healing process we all have to go through."

"This wine taste funny," Toby murmured to Tali who sat next to him. Sitting far enough away from the head of the table, he hoped his dislike of the beverage wouldn't be heard by anyone else. "Does it always taste like this?"

"If by this, you mean delicious, then yes," she whispered back.

Sarah conceded to Jareth's argument that it was perfectly normal and acceptable for those of Toby's age in the Underground to drink wine. Plus, Jareth didn't want Toby to stick out more than he already did by exacerbating the fact that he was from the Aboveground.

"Why is it so bitter?" Toby asked.

Tali tried to cover her laughter with her hand. "It's not bitter; it's acidic. That's how wine is supposed to taste," she explained.

"This isn't really for me," Toby said quietly as he pushed his chalice away. "Do you want this?"

"Absolutely," she said, grabbing his cup and pouring his wine into her glass."

"Not what you were expecting, Toby?" Jareth called out at the other end of the table. He has been observing Toby's actions ever since they sat down at the table.

"Not really," Toby said with an odd look on his face. Realizing that he may have offended everyone in the room, he tried to correct himself. "But I'm sure it's an acquired taste." Toby didn't really know what that meant, but his mother used that excuse all the time when she ate something unsavory.

"Don't worry, young human," Gwendolen smirked. "We'll feed you soon."

* * *


	18. Chapter 18

_So let's raise a toast  
'Cause I found someone to carry me home_

* * *

 

Sarah eyes opened slowly, her body responding to the smell of food. Sitting up in bed, she rubbed out the sleep from her eyes before looking out the window to see the morning light barely peeking out from the horizon. A rustling sound caught her attention, reminding her why she woke up.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Jareth sat a tray on a table that was situated on the far wall. Snapping his fingers, he moved the table outside on the balcony.

"I don't understand why someone didn't put a table outside," he complained. "What's the point of a balcony if you can't enjoy it? How many more days are we going to be here? One or Two? Regardless, we need to have another table in here."

"Wha…What's happening right now?" Sarah asked again, very much confused and still a bit groggy.

"Breakfast," Jareth simply answered as he walked over to the bed. He bent down, trying to help her to her feet. But, she lightly pushed him away. "Let me help you, Sarah."

"I can get out of bed and walk to the balcony," she chastised, walking to the balcony. "You need to slowly ramp up this domineering madness you have. Don't go straight to one hundred on me."

"How are you feeling? Dizzy? Shaky?" Jareth asked, ignoring her quip as he hooked his arm around hers, not allowing her to walk with his aid.

"Sleepy and hungry," she said. Sarah shook him off her. "Why are you doing that?"

"You fainted yesterday, and I don't want you to go through that again," he explained. "Now that I think about it, get back in bed."

"Why?" Sarah asked as she allowed him to push her back onto the bed. Jareth didn't answer her as he went out to the balcony and came back, carrying a tray of food to the bed. She sighed as she dropped her head in her hands. "There's no need for you to do this."

"Nonsense," Jareth scoffed as he carefully placed the tray on her lap. He took the juice from the tray and set it on the small table next to her. "I wasn't sure if you would have a craving for sweet or savory; therefore, I told the kitchen staff to make a bit of everything."

Sarah regarded the tray on her lap and nearly laughed at the sight. Before her were a bowl of oatmeal with apples; a plate filled with roasted potatoes, a large omelet, and a butter toast; and another fruit filled concoction that reminded Sarah of blintzes and a whole orange.

"And you're helping me eat this, right?" she inquired as she looked warily at the buffet in front of her. Jareth walked over the bed with his own platter in hand.

"I have my own food," he stated. When he sat in the bed, Sarah noticed that his tray only contained a bowl of oatmeal and an unpeeled banana.

"Why do I have so much food and you don't?" Sarah asked incredulously. "I'm not going to be able to fit into anything if I eat all of this."

Jareth's hand moved under her chin and pulled her close for a kiss. "You're eating for three, Precious," he said as though she had forgotten that she was pregnant. "The seamstresses will be here if you need breathing room in your clothes."

"Oh my god," Sarah sighed, lifting her head to stare at the ceiling. She did not want a repeat of yesterday, and she knew he was only taking care of her. So, she decided to just eat as much as she could. Jareth became obsessive about things he cared about; and there was no way she was going to change Jareth's personality. Not now, not ever. Might was well accept it gracefully- or at least try.

Jareth kept his eyes on her while she ate. After several minutes, he realized that she was only eating the oatmeal. "Make sure you eat the omelet," he said between chewing. "I made certain the cooks added a bunch of leafy greens. And eat all of your fruit, Sarah."

"We should play a game," she stated as she chewed on a piece of egg.

"How do you play this game?" he inquired, very interested in the idea of game.

"Guess how long I have to hear you telling me what to eat before I throw a plate of food at your head?"

"Are you done being snippy?" Jareth challenge while giving her a pointed stare.

"I'm not being snippy," she said, defending herself. "You just don't seem to understand that this is too much food."

"Then eat a bit of everything," he instructed.

"This is going to be a long couple of months," Sarah muttered as she picked up a piece of toast.

"Mock my devotion to you if you want," Jareth said as he began peeling her orange. "But you can never say that I don't care about you."

"That's the last thing I would ever accuse you of," she said, moving her tray to the side table. "Overreacting? Yes. Not caring? Never."

"What are you doing? You haven't eating everything," his voice rising in alarm at the sight of her not finishing her food.

"I ate half of everything," Sarah explained, gesturing her tray. "I'm going to explode, and I don't want to be bloated as I carry out my first crowning."

"Finish this," Jareth ordered, handing her the peeled orange.

"Stop force feeding me," she countered, laughing at the situation.

Jareth split the orange in half. "Then eat half," he ordered again, not finding the situation humorous at all.

Releasing a loud and defeated sigh, Sarah grabbed one half of the orange from his hand.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered as she plopped a piece in her mouth.

Jareth placed his tray on the floor, and then turned to face her. He grabbed her face, forcing her attention on him.

"Let me take care of you," he implored. "I'll drive myself mad if I don't find a way to make myself useful while you go through this."

"I'm trying to understand that, but you can't feed me like I'm a cow," Sarah said.

"But there are two of them," he said as one of his hands move to her abdomen. "It's important that you have need for nothing."

"Still don't want to be a fat cow," she reiterated.

"You are not now nor will you ever be a _fat cow_ ," Jareth refuting her horrid statements as his hand languidly circled her stomach before coming to a rest over her navel.

Sarah was able to convince Jareth that bringing Rowena along was not necessary. However, to help ease his worried mind, Rowena showed them both how to find the magical energies of the twins as well as detecting any abnormalities. This was good for Sarah since having the Palace healer following them around would cause speculation, but now, she had to contend with Jareth's hands on her stomach almost every hour. "I can sense them," he whispered

"I know," Sarah chuckled. "You said that before I fell asleep." She pushed his hands off her as she moved to stand from the bed. "I'm not even showing yet. Stop feeling me up."

"We only have a few hours alone," Jareth noted. "Why are you getting up?"

"Lydia is coming over soon," she revealed as she shrugged her robe on. "Don't look at me like that. We need to start planning this thing."

"And when were you going to tell me that she was arriving," he questioned, annoyed that their peaceful morning was ruined.

"Uh, when she knocked on the door? Yeah, that's it," Sarah said before slipping into the bathroom.

"Bloody hell," Jareth muttered as he reluctantly left the mattress.

* * *

"This place is crazy!" Toby exclaimed, amazement in his voice.

"Shh!" Cormac hissed with a frown, hushing him. "You're being too loud."

"You're not supposed to yell in a meditation hall, let alone _the_ meditation hall," Tali explained, quietly. The trio walked through the colossal hall where the coronation was taking place in a few hours, ensuring that the workers were putting everything in order.

"Why do we have to be quiet?" Toby asked, lowering his voice.

"Ah, yesterday did go by quickly, especially for you," Cormac said as they walked through an aisle. "We are the capital city of the Elves, Colsari. This is the Sanctum of Perpetuity, the largest meditation hall in the Seelie Court."

"Why do you need a meditation hall?" Toby asked.

"I don't know how to explain it to you," Tali stated. "Meditation is very important to us elves. There are smaller ones throughout the Court, but this one… it's allows for us to meditate together- as one."

"That sounds hippy-dippy," Toby deduced, pulling a weird face.

Tali and Cormac stopped their walking to stare at him with confusion. "What's hippy-dippy mean?" Tali asked with genuine curiosity.

"Never mind," Toby dismissed his own comments. "Just have to remind myself that this place is different than mine."

Tali shrugged before noticing something out the corner of her eye. "Those birds of paradise…I don't like how they're arranged."

Cormac looked up to see that she was referring to the floral arrangement on the dais, where the crowning will take place.

"I find them acceptable," he stated.

"They need to be cut," Tali said, standing firm in her original assessment. "Everyone will be sitting in the meditative pose for most of the ceremony. Nearly half the people in here won't be able to see anyone on stage. The arraignment will be blocking their view."

"Hmm," Cormac pondered, stroking his chin. "Can't we just move them around, change their position maybe?"

"No, they have to be cut," Tali insisted. "Or taken off the dais completely."

"Well, that is not an acceptable alternative," Cormac stated emphatically.

"Are you guys seriously arguing over flowers?" Toby grumbled.

* * *

"He's gone off; he's completely mad," whispered one of the faes.

"He was just having a bad day, Erick," Odhran said, lying in his pack, pretending to be asleep.

"Oh come off it," Erick hissed. "I know you hated him more than anyone else in camp."

Odhran rolled over in his pack and gave the fae a pointed stare. "Let it go, Erick."

A rustling of leaves next to him caught Odhran's attention. He turned his head to see a young fae named Roux stood up, searching the camp. Before Odhran could ask what the hell was going on, he called out across the camp.

"Sir, we have an incendiary among our ranks," Roux yelled when he caught Sawyer's eyes.

"Erick! Is there something you wish to speak to me about?" Sawyer called back, stanidn next to the cooled fire pit.

Erick sat up and was joined by Odhran a moment later. Sawyer stood in the middle of the camp grounds.

"He's just venting, Sawyer," Odhran groaned as he wiped his hands over his face.

"Is that what you're calling it now?" Sawyer queried, walking towards them. "Would you have put up with that shit in the Palace Guard?"

"We're not in the guard anymore," Erick disputed.

"I believe I was talking to Odhran and not you," Sawyer said quietly.

"Actually, you were originally talking to Erick," Odhran muttered.

"I feel as though there is an unraveling occurring here," Sawyer said with a smirk as he clapped his hands together. "I'm the highest ranking member of the Guard here, yet a private is questioning my skills." He gave a pointed stare to Erick. "I should rectify this. Odhran, take him to a tree out of sight from camp and tie his wrists to the branch. Leave him there for three days."

Odhran was caught off guard by the order. "What?"

Erick tried to intervene on his own behalf. "Sir, I didn't mean to…"

"I'm not interested in hearing anything from you," Sawyer said before turning back to Odhran. "I demand respect. Now are going to do as your told or not?"

Looking to Erick before releasing a frustrated sigh, he backed away from the two of them before catching a look of apprehension from Brexton and everyone else in the camp.

"I suggest you listen to me," Sawyer said to Odhran. "Haven't you heard? I've gone completely mad."

* * *

"I know the last time we went through something like this you were completely stressed out," Lydia said, sitting in an overly stuffed chair against a wall. "Probably a bit my fault. But I promise it won't be like that this time."

"Do you have to do this now?" Jareth asked, already bored with this process as he draped himself over a chair at the table.

"I can't start the planning without knowing certain substantive things first," Lydia said.

"This is how these things go, Jareth," Sarah said as she stood motionless while a seamstress sewed beads onto her robe. "Let Lydia do her job."

"Fine, but after this, you run everything by me first," he demanded.

"Jareth," sighed in exasperation.

"Deciding that you actually enjoy event planning, Your Majesty," Lydia teased.

"I wouldn't say that," he grumbled, truly realizing how much he hated dealing with such matters. But he would stand by what he told Sarah: he would take on her workload.

"Well, I'm not going to dwell on the change of heart," Lydia said. "You stated in your letter that you wanted it to be soon. So what were you thinking? A year from now?"

"No later than five months," Sarah answered, becoming really tired with the idea of standing. She was happy most of the ceremony required everyone to be sitting.

"What?" Lydia responded, nearly dropping her quill in shock. "Why so soon? I'm going to need a lot of help to pull this off."

"Then gather all the help you need," Jareth said, matter of factly. "And get it done."

"Listen, I know this is cutting it close, and this puts a lot of pressure on you," Sarah said, obviously displaying who had more tact in the relationship. "But I wouldn't ask you to do this if I didn't believe that you could do it."

The alarmed and frightened appearance that was on Lydia's turned into a warm smile.

"There's no need to ask," she said. "It _will_ get done. I don't have a calendar in front of me, but I believe it will be an autumn ceremony, possibly winter..."

"Actually, we should do this before Samhain," Sarah suggested. "Maybe a few days before."

"You do realize that that's giving me much less than five months?" Lydia said.

"I know, but it just came to me," Sarah shrugged.

"No shrugging, Your Majesty," the seamstress warned. Sarah rolled her eyes but did as she was told.

Lydia let out a sigh as she began writing down her notes. "When do you wish to formally announce this?"

"In five days," Jareth replied. "Gwendoline said she didn't mind the proclamation to be earlier, but the elves should have their time of celebration."

"All right. Will do," Lydia muttered. "Um, so what about…"

"Here. I'll make things easier," Sarah said. "Jareth and I agreed that the colors will be navy, eggplant, and gold. Send the invitations to the same people who attended the coronation. Have several people send me sketches of a dress- I don't have a style in mind right now. And Jareth will be in charge of the reception. How's that?"

"Reception planning," Jareth muttered with disdain... again. Before he could say any more, Sarah silenced him with a look.

"You said you wanted to help and this is you helping," she said.

"Fine," he muttered as he stood up, adjusted his burgundy robe.

Lydia let out a snort. "Now you want to help, Sire? Much has changed from the last coronation."

Jareth began walking away toward the balcony. "You have no idea."

* * *

"Okay. So, hold this crystal," Tali instructed, placing a medium- sized blue orb in Toby's hand. "Be careful; don't drop it."

Full of trepidation, Toby held the crystal away from his body. With his new responsibility, Toby found himself itching with nerves and the elven robe that all attendees were required to wear. Even though everyone attending had to wear a robe, the robes were not all the same. An individual's status in the Court could be deduced by the type of robe worn- the more ornate the higher in status one was. While Toby was human and technically not a member of the Court, his garment told those who saw him that he was close to the Queen.

Cormac delegated Toby to the task of lighting one of the ten torches placed strategically around the hall. He and the other nine individuals, which included Tali, would walk to their designated areas before the ceremony and place a crystal into the torch holder. The lighting of the torch would commence the coronation. Since Toby was the only human and couldn't make his own crystals, he had to make sure that he didn't make a mistake by dropping the crystal. So, the two of them stood in the side drawing waiting for the drummers to start their drumming and the guards telling them to go to their stations.

"Nervous?" she asked. Toby's eyes wouldn't dare leave the crystal.

"Maybe," he said quietly.

The drawing room door opened and quickly slammed.

"Ah!" Toby yelled, nearly jumping out of his skin. Tali found the situation amusing by evidence of her laughter.

"The security here is suffocating," Lochlan complained. "It wasn't this horrid during Sarah's coronation."

Annoyed, Toby looked behind him to give the Unseelie King a glare. Confused by the human's face, Lochlan gazed down at the floor noticing the broken crystal.

"Well, just make another," he cheekily said.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny," Toby muttered.

"Here, Toby," Tali offered, handing him another orb. "No big deal."

"Wait a minute," Toby said. "You made it sound like something awful would happen if I broke this thing."

"Well, it would," she clarified. "I would have to make another crystal. You're less likely to drop it if I said something horrible would happened."

"Really?" Toby said, not amused.

"Hey, I won't be able to do that once everything starts happening," Tali reasoned.

"Whatever," he muttered as he walked over to the wall to sit on the floor.

Tali shook her head at the upset teenager before turning her attention to Lochlan.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him. "I thought you hated pageantry."

"I do," he agreed before seizing her face and plating a kiss on her lips. "But I missed you."

"It's been less than a day," she laughed. "But I doubt you came here just to tell me that."

"And what if I did?" Lochlan countered. Tali raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "All right. All right. It's one of the reasons I came here." He took a few steps back before producing a crystal which transformed into a large bottle with a black bow around the neck. "I heard the new Elf Queen enjoys her spirits."

"Are you going to stay?" Tali asked, taking the gift from him.

"I didn't stay for Sarah's. So, no," he answered. "I will not being staying for this. But I see no harm in establishing a somewhat friendly relationship with the new queen."

"Trying to be diplomatic?" she wondered aloud. "That's new for you."

"I'm embracing my new free spirited side," Lochlan proclaimed. At Tali dubious look, he amended his statement. "Might as well do something small and meaningful. I had to do something today; I can't drink _all_ day."

* * *

"I don't care for these clothes," Kalin whined as she tried to adjust her clothes while sitting on the meditation hall floors. "And why are we sitting? I do not like this."

"Stop complaining," Taggert admonished. Looking around, he noticed that nearly everyone was seated in his or her assigned spot. Since there were no chairs in the hall and only square padded mats to show where to sit, Taggert had to stay in a fae form instead of his normal centaur. He had no problem with this, but Kalin acted as though the world was going to end if she continued to stay on this floor.

"And these robes- Why do we have to wear robes?" she continued with her barrage of complaints.

"Kalin, for the last time, we are taking part in Elven culture," he said, becoming annoyed as he gazed around the room on more time. Taggert had explained to her why meditation was so important to the elves as well as why everyone had to wear robe in the hall. He was sure she knew these reasons- she wasn't an ignorant queen. However, Kalin insisted on complaining. "Just make do until the ceremony is over."

"Why are you so cross?" she asked, feeling a bit miffed.

Taggert blew out a weary sigh. "I'm not crossed, but when I explain something to you, I hope that you will hear what I have to say the first time. There's no use for redundancy."

"Well, you sound cross," Kalin muttered, staring at the dais.

"I'm not repeating myself again," he reiterated with exasperation.

"You two look as though you want to rip each other's heads off," Jareth smirked as he stood in front of them.

"Sit down, Goblin King," Kalin snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Nice outfit," Taggert noted, his mood changing for the better.

"I should say the same for you," he said as he sat next to the centaur king. "There's only a hand full of non-elves here. How much would you wager the elves are all laughing at our discomfort?"

"I'd wager a lot," Kalin growled out. "We look like fools in these garments."

"You look beautiful as always, even with that scowl on your face," Jareth joked.

"Whatever. By the way, it's rude that all of you left without telling me why a certain someone fainted," she leaned across Taggert to whisper to Jareth. "And all I receive is a note a few hours later saying everything is all right? That is not okay."

"Are you disputing the judgment of your Queen?" Jareth countered.

Taggert stifled his laugh as Kalin let out a huff as she returned to her seated position.

"I'll just ask her later," she said.

"You be sure to do that," Jareth replied as he crossed his legs. The ruling monarchs of the Seelie Court sat in the first row of the hall while the noble elves sat behind them with a few nobles faes in the crowd. Kalin was right- sitting like in this fashion wearing these outfits was very uncomfortable. Jareth had to keep in mind that this wasn't supposed to be a long ceremony, if he could trust that Gwendoline wasn't lying to him.

* * *

"Are you nervous?" Sarah asked as an elf servant ensured no lint of any kind was found on her cloak before adjusting the crown on her head. Adorned with over a thousand diamonds and with a two rows of pearls at the base, the crown weighed heavy on her head. Sarah knew it was horrible thing to complain about, but she hated this crown. She wore circlets when she was out in the public, but she barely was used to those let alone an ornate crown.

"Perish the thought," Gwendoline dismissed as she stood behind the Seelie Queen. A different elf carefully brushed her hair, ensuring the new queen's low bun didn't have a hair out of place. "I just want this to be over."

"You sound like me before my coronation," Sarah admitted. "Although, I wasn't as calm as you are now."

"To find serenity in everything: that's the Elven way," she stated. "However, I could definitely tell that you were a bit agitated that day."

"Yeah, well, whatever," Sarah smirked. Without warning, the bass drums could be heard throughout the hall and its ancillary rooms, including the one they were waiting in.

Cormac walked through the doors, looking composed yet the tension was palpable.

"The ceremony is beginning," he said. "We should go to our markers."

"It's about time," Gwendoline groaned.

* * *

"May I ask what you're doing, Your Majesty?" Cormac asked as he stood to the side, observing Sarah peek her head through the doors.

"I'm just watching Toby," she said quietly as she observed her brother slowly walk to a lantern on the far right front section of the hall.

"He's a peculiar human, isn't he?" Gwendoline noted.

"Don't you think all humans are peculiar?" Sarah countered, not taking her eyes off him.

"Of course. Humans have a different sort of charm than the rest of us in the Underground," she admitted.

Sarah saw Toby and the others simultaneously place their orbs in the lantern, causing them all to alight. She closed the door, standing back so the guards could officially open them and allowing her in. "I guess peculiar is a way to describe him." Cormac approached her with a medium size box which contained the Elven crown, handing her the box.

The drum tempo sped up before coming to a complete stop. The wooden doors to the hall opened as the drums began their low steady beat while Sarah walked down the aisle to the dais with Gwendoline following behind.

Sarah really surprised herself by the lack of nerves she felt as she prepared to crown her first sovereign- ruler that she personally selected for the job. Maybe she has matured in the time between her coronation and this one. Maybe she benefitted by the fact that she's has the distractions of a wedding and babies to cloud her head. Or maybe the meditation techniques that Tali and Gwendoline taught her were working- no matter how much Jareth made light of it. Regardless, she was grateful that she found herself at the dais with enough poise that everyone present would see her fully as Queen of the Court.

* * *

Tali stood off to the side, watching Sarah and Gwendoline greet the various nobles of the Court. After the coronation, a small procession between the meditation hall and the Elf castle took place; thankfully, this time, there were no unwanted surprises. By now, everyone had changed out of dreaded robes and was now outfitted in more dress attire. But since Cormac and Toby were walking around doing who knows what, Tali, being the lady-in-waiting, waited until she was need. She still had Lochlan's gift for the new Elf Queen, but she had yet found the time and place to give it to her.

"You look as thrilled to be here as a blind elf watching a play," chuckled a voice to Tali's left. Tali turned her head to see a tall, svelte elf whose dark auburn, shoulder length hair framed her face with loose curls. Unlike Tali's, this elf's ears stood straight up but barely poked out of her hair.

"Yeah, you can say that," Tali snorted. "At the Seelie Queen's coronation, I always had something to do but not tonight. I'm not used to just standing around."

"Me either. Productions like these are so tedious," she concurred. "Unfortunately, this is how life will be for now on."

"I'm sorry, but have we met?" Tali inquired.

"We have now," the elf quipped, her grey eyes twinkling in playfulness. "I'm Eveline." Her hand reached out and grabbed Tali's, giving the half-elf's hand an eager shake.

"Oh, shit, you're the new Countess of Muirias," Tali said as she tried to give the elf a bow. However, Eveline stopped her useless posturing.

"Please don't do that," Eveline nearly begged. "I just escaped a gaggle of elves doing that to me."

"Oh sorry, I guess," Tali apologized. "Sarah isn't comfortable with all that either."

"Which probably explains why she and my mother get along so well," Eveline said. "Only a special type of asshole revels in that, like the previous royal family. I guess, my brothers are assholes, but they're harmless." She quickly gestured with her head behind her to two male elves holding court with a bevy of fellow elves-mostly female.

"Uh oh," Tali said. "There's not going to be a family rivalry with you guys, is there?"

"Oh hell no," Eveline laughed off. "They love the attention, but oddly enough they care more about being responsible and boring."

"Which one is next in line?" she asked.

"Neal. He's the taller one with the white hair," Eveline answered. "Those poor girls have no idea that his idea of a good time is classifying all the different plants here and the Aboveground. He's a good elf though."

"You know, if you stand here long enough, your hiding spot will be discovered," Tali remarked.

"That's why we got to get a move on," Eveline said, hooking her arm around Tali's and dragging her toward a side door.

"Where are we going?" Tali asked.

Eveline gave small nod to the guard by the door before leaving the crowds behind. "To have some fun."

* * *

After Kalin gave Gwendoline her congratulations, she tried her best to mingle with the Seelie nobles, mostly elves. Sarah was swarmed as well so Kalin thought it better to wait until people began to leave her alone. Taggert left her side after they greeted the new Elf Queen, but Kalin hasn't seen him since, which she found odd because his height usually gave him away. He wouldn't just leave the party without telling her.

"Penny for you thoughts?" asked a familiar voice behind her.

Spinning around, she saw King Rhys of the Dwarves standing with a chalice in hand. Rhys still had his salt and pepper hair cut his beard. She tried her best not to wince at his sight. He nearly chat her ear off during Sarah's coronation, and she wasn't really in the mood for any of that now. Kalin couldn't pinpoint the reason for Rhys' change in attitude- he was normally a reserved fae who kept to himself in such situations. But if she was to bet, Kalin assumed that Rhys still harbored regret for conspiring with Oberon during the war. Cillian never gave off a contrite attitude, but that was how the king of the Giants operated. Although, Kalin overheard Sarah speaking about the apologies she received from the monarchs who did Oberon's bidding. But Rhys was a different than Cillian, and he has made a point of making amends to everyone.

"Rhys, it so nice to see you again," Kalin said, hoping that her exasperation with the monarch wouldn't be apparent.

"This commemorative wine is unquestionably outstanding," he beamed as he took a sip.

"Yes, well the elves would be stupid if they gave us shit wine," she responded. Realizing her tone, she quickly corrected herself. "Sorry, I'm just a bit miffed that I can't find Taggert." That wasn't really true, but she had to come up with some sort of reason.

"Oh, I just saw him a moment ago," Rhys answered. "He left the hall with an elf."

"Male or female?" Kalin asked, a bit confused- not quite sure if she should be feeling jealous or hurt.

"Not sure," Rhys answered with a shrug. "Long hair is all I know, but that doesn't mean much.

"Excuse me, Rhys," she said as the Dwarf King gave her a nod.

Kalin walked through the crowd, making her way to the main doors, which were opened yet flanked by two sets of guards.

"Did you see where the King of Centaurs went?" she asked all four of them.

"Down the hall, Your Majesty," one of the guards responded as he gestured to the left. "Two doors down, in the Emerald Drawing Room."

"Thanks," Kalin replied, following his directions and walking to the drawing room. Not caring if she knocked, Kalin walked to see the backs of Taggert and an elf turned toward her. "Excuse me," she said clearly her throat.

The two of them jumped before turning around to face her.

"Who's she?" Kalin calmly inquired, pointing a finger in the elf's direction. Taggert moved in front of the elf, but not before Kalin caught him place an object in his side pocket.

"What are you doing here?" Taggert asked.

"No, I think I should be the one asking that question," she said. "And you failed to answer my first question."

"Please leave, Alison," Taggert said before the average height, white haired elf left the room.

"Is her company more enjoyable than mine?" Kalin implored.

"Why would you say such a thing?" he contested.

"Because you left me to be here," she stated.

"She's an acquaintance," Taggert explained. "We were catching up on a few things."

"And you're doing business with her?"

"You could say that," he said with a nod.

"Which makes sense," Kalin said. "I mean, why would you talk to Gwendoline or her children when you could be speaking with a common elf."

"She's not a common…"

"Her clothes give her away; she has no place in the elf castle," Kalin said, still calm. She didn't know if it was the meditation from the ceremony earlier or the wine that allowed her to stay so tranquil, but she was thankful for whatever was keeping her from screaming.

"Kalin, whatever you're thinking…"

"I'm going to go back to the reception now," she said, spinning around and walking to the door. "Please don't follow me."

* * *

"Okay, we set up the cups of poitín along the corridors," a male elf said to Tali and Eveline.

"How does this game work again?" Tali asked.

"This hallway makes a perfect circle around the castle," Eveline explained. "You and I are going to race, but when you come across a glass of poitín, you have to drink it all before continuing the race."

"Can we change the poitín with wine?" Tali asked. "I tried it once- it was potent."

"That's the point," Eveline winked before taking off her shoes. Realizing that the Countess had the right idea, Tali did the same.

"How large are these cups of poitín going to be?" she asked.

"No idea," Eveline said. "Another part of the fun."

"Are you two ready?" the elf said. "On the count of three."

"Are running in dresses?" Tali asked.

"One," the elf began counted.

"Of course," Eveline said.

"Two," he said.

"Dammit," Tali muttered, trying to hike up her dress."

"Ready to get smoked," Eveline muttered.

"Three!"

* * *

"My neck hurts," Sarah muttered under her breath. She had a brief respite when a fae couple walked away after talking to her for the past several minutes. "And my back. Also, my feet."

Suddenly, arms were around her, ushering her to her seat while shooing those who wished to approached her away.

"There was no need for that," she complained as she was carefully seated at her reserved table.

"If I know you're in pain, why would I allow that to continue?" Jareth responded, almost chastising her. He walked over to a waiter, whispered something to the attendant, and, at the sight of the waiter's nod, walked back to Sarah to sit beside her. "How are you feeling now? I just told the server to bring you more food and some drink."

"I'm fine," she assured him, trying not to laugh. "Remember now: pregnant, not feeble."

"You were claiming to be in pain…"

"Due to standing," Sarah amended. "And I'm not in that much pain- simply tired." She lifted her hand and gently caressed his cheek. "You worry too much."

"Stop telling me something I already know," Jareth said. The waiter returned with two others in tow, all carrying a tray with several plates. "Before you reprimand me, I asked for enough food for me and Gwendoline as well as you."

"Where is she anyway?" she asked as she began picking at a dinner roll.

"I believe she's in the middle of that horde," he said, briefly tilting his head in the Elf's Queen's direction.

"Don't call them a horde," Sarah chided. "Everyone is excited to have a new ruler. There's no way she could be worse than…"

"Let's not bring up that fae's name or his family at this time," Jareth cautioned. "I suppose I can't fault them on their exuberance."

"I don't see Toby either," she noted. "I think Cormac is working him to the bone."

"Toby went to his room," he stated, cutting his food with a knife. "He was so tired that he could barely stand."

"I wouldn't be surprised if Toby asks to go home tomorrow," Sarah pondered, still picking at her piece of bread.

"No one is making him stay," Jareth muttered as he stabbed his food with his fork. "And make sure you eat more than just bread."

Sarah squint her eyes in annoyance before picking up her fork. "Are you still upset with him?" she asked.

"If I think about it long enough, yes," he admitted. "Hopefully, being an underling for an extended period of time will teach him a lesson."

Sarah said nothing as she continued to chew her food, staring at him with an amused appearance.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Jareth asked after swallowing his food.

"Nothing," she answered as her smile widened.

"If I have something on my face, and you're not telling me…"

"Your face is fine, except for the smug permanently etched on your face," Sarah said.

"Some call it smug while I call it self-assured," he stated. "Although I'm happy with the fact that you find my face pleasing, but I doubt that is why a grin crossed your face."

"I think you're tougher on Toby than Robert is," she admitted.

"That explains his proclivity for getting into trouble," Jareth deduced.

Before Sarah could defend her brother, Gwendoline approached the table and nearly collapsed into a chair across from Sarah.

"I'm happy I have two gregarious sons," she groaned as she sipped her glass of wine. "They can handle this crowd long enough for me to catch my breath."

"I see them, but where's Eveline?" Jareth asked.

Gwendoline looked around the hall quickly before shrugging off any concern. "Definitely not here. She's around here, I'm sure."

Sarah also did a quick search of the reception area. "Hold on. Where's Tali?"

* * *

"Eveline has taken a liking to spending her free time in this wing of the castle," Gwendoline said as she walked with Sarah down the hall, three guards trailing them. "She has a few gentlemen who like to follow her around, and she allows them the privilege." Gwendoline then let out a laugh at her daughter's quirks. The reception was now over, and the few stragglers were finally being ushered out of the castle.

Jareth decided to retire to their chambers believing there was no reason to babysit a grown elf. Sarah didn't believe that she was being overprotective of Tali; she simply wanted to know where her lady has been this entire time. Muffled shouting could be heard as they approached the double doors at the end of the hall.

"Oh, Evie," Gwendoline muttered as she picked up her pace. The new elf queen magically opened the doors. Nearly two dozen elves, including Eveline, stood in a circle cheering on Tali and a male elf as the two quickly gulped the contents of their respective chalice. Tali finished first, placed her cup on the table in front of her and raised her hands in the air.

"Yay! I beat you!" Tali cried out as those around cheered her on.

"Evie!" Gwendoline yelled, causing the room to go silent. Tali slowly lowered her arms as she stumbled back a bit.

"Hello," Eveline said slowly as she stood next to Tali. "Is the reception over?"

"What is happening here?" Sarah asked, having flashbacks of her college years.

"It's all Evie's fault," Tali said, pointing to the elf.

"Hey! We promised to have each other's back," Eveline protested in a serious tone, before erupting into giggles which caused Tali to start laughing.

"All right. Everyone out!" Gwendoline ordered to the bystanders.

"Did we break a law?" Eveline asked as she accidently bumped into Tali. "Are we… are we trouble?"

"In, are we _in_ trouble," Tali corrected, clearly not as drunk. By now, the two of them had their arms hooked around each other, leaning against each other for balance.

"You couldn't hold off on these antics until after the Queen has left, could you?" Gwendoline stated, crossing her arms across her chest.

"We can talk about this tomorrow," Sarah said, finding humor in the situation. "Come on, Tali." She took the lady-in-waiting's arm and carefully escorted her out of the room.

"See you tomorrow, Evie!" Tali yelled as she turned quickly to give a wave to her new best friend.

Gwendoline snatched Eveline's arm and closed the door so no one could hear their conversation. She knew that yelling at her daughter would be pointless since Gwendoline was well-known for her proclivity at having a good time. But there was a time and a place for everything.

"Tonight, you will be writing a note of apology to the Queen," Gwendoline declared.

"But…"

"No, but's. You are a Countess now," she said. "If you're going to do dumb things, don't have so many people around and, for Fate's sake, don't do it with the Queen's lady.

* * *

"Did you have fun tonight?" Sarah asked, holding back a wince as Tali stepped on her foot.

"So much fun!" Tali exclaimed as she continued to lean against Sarah. The two guards behind them offered to take Tali, but Sarah told them to leave them be. "You know, it's hard to run when you're drinking bottles of poitín."

"You did a beer run?" Sarah asked with surprise. The idea brought her back to that one summer vacation during college when a couple of her friends were in New Orleans and thought it would be a great idea to jog down Bourbon street, stopping every so often at a bar to drink before starting their run again.

"What's a beer run?" Tali questioned with a little slur in her speech.

"Basically what you just did," Sarah said. "But not a castle."

"Oh, well then yes!" she cried out.

"Shh!" Sarah hissed, hushing her.

"Oh, sorry," Tali whispered, covering her mouth.

When they approached her room, Tali wrapped her arms around Sarah's neck. Sarah looked out of the corner of her eye to see the guards standing by, not knowing what to do. She returned Tali's hug, wrapping her arms around the half-elf's torso.

"I love you, Sarah," Tali expressed, squeezing Sarah's neck more and more.

"Oh, I love you too, Tali," she muttered, struggling to respond as she forcefully removed her arms from her neck. Sarah opened the door to Tali's room and guided her inside, leaving the guards to watch the door.

"No, I mean I really love you, like a sister," Tali insisted, grasping Sarah's shoulders tight. Although Tali was clearly intoxicated, Sarah could see the sincerity in her earnest eyes. "Which is amazing… I don't have siblings, and I always wanted one." Sarah released Tali's grip on her shoulders before guiding Tali to her bed. "Have you ever thought how awesome it would be to be sisters?"

"Kinda," Sarah answered. "Lochlan is courting you… or whatever he calls."

Tali released a snort as she fell on her bed. "You're so cute, Sarah."

"I've been called worse," she said, walking to the door. "Drink some water before you go to bed. I'll see you in the morning… or afternoon."

* * *

Lochlan appeared in his bedchambers after finally dealing with the latest issue that his subjects decided to bother him with. The time was getting late, and he was in for some much needed sleep. When he walked out of his closet, he was met with a half-elf, dressed in a night gown, standing in the middle of his chamber.

"And what do I owe the pleasure of you surprising me with your presence?" he said as he stalked toward her.

"I don't want to sleep alone," she admitted, before stumbling into him.

"How much liquor have you ingested tonight?" Lochlan inquired as he lifted her into his arms.

"Only two or three… bottles," Tali answered before hiccupping. "I lost count, but I wasn't pouring." He gently placed her in the bed but couldn't pull away since she locked her hands around his neck. "I missed you too."

"Ah, now you respond- nearly half a day later," he smirked. Tali pulled him down to her, kissing him soundly. Lochlan unhooked her hands and moved away from her. He walked around the bed to get in on the other side. "You need sleep, Tali."

"I miss you," she whispered as she sat up to remove her night gown. Lochlan's eyes roamed her body before his mouth curled into a smile. He reached his hand around the back of her neck and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I hope you haven't been wandering around by yourself blitzed of your mind," he stated as he pressed her to the mattress as he following suit.

"Sarah made sure I got back to my room okay," Tali admitted.

"Remind me to thank her for taking care of my Little Bird," Lochlan stated as he moved a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"I might have embarrassed myself in front of her," she confessed.

"I believe it takes a lot to embarrass her," he said as he gave her a lopsided grin. "She is with my brother after all."

"I told her that I loved her like a sister," Tali admitted. A small laugh came out of her before she began a rolling laugh, find her ramblings amusing. "Sarah said we could be sisters because we're together. Isn't that crazy?"

The grin on his face fell. "And why would that be funny?"

Tali continued her joviality without noticing Lochlan's demeanor. "We would have to get married, and that's crazy."

"Explain to me why that would be crazy."

Tali sat up on her elbows. "You're not going to marry anyone," she stated as though that was common knowledge. "We're just having fun, right?" Tali grabbed his face and planted a kiss on his lips. When she moved away from him, she was over taken by vertigo. "Whoa. The room just spun for a minute."

Lochlan gave her a sad, small smile. "Get some sleep, Tali."

* * *

"Are you done playing caretaker to someone who is older than you?" Jareth asked as Sarah walked into the room. He was sitting up in bed, going over some papers.

"It's called girl code," she said, kicking off her slippers. "You don't just let a drunken friend wander around. You have to help them back to your bed."

"Sounds like you have experience in that area," Jareth said with a bit of curiosity in his voice.

"I had a life outside the Underground, you know," Sarah pointed out.

"I realize that as much as I would like to forget that," he admitted, returning his attentions to his work.

"Why do you say that?" she asked as she padded to the other side of the room. Sarah tried to reach behind her back to undo her dress. Before she became completely frustrated with her garment, she felt the buttons come undone, the feeling of air on her naked back. Sarah spun around to see a smiling Jareth still sitting on the bed.

"You still think too much like a human," Jareth smirked.

"Is that why you want to forget my time Aboveground?" Sarah inquired.

"No," he simply answered, returning to his work.

"Are you going to tell me or are we going to start a guessing game?"

"We've already been through this," he muttered with his head still down, glancing over some papers. Sarah strolled over to the bed, pulled back the blanket, and got in, sitting next to him.

"You don't like talking about the time when I went away. Why?" she asked. In the past, Sarah tried to ask him about those years, but he rarely opened up about that time.

"Why would I?" Jareth countered. He placed his paper down on his lap in mild irritation. "Which story do you want to hear: the countless hours that I spent trying to find you or the many years I spent cursing myself for letting you get away once you were in the Labyrinth?"

Sarah said nothing for a while as she avoided any kind of eye contact. "None of those sound like fun stories," she demurred. Jareth seized her hand and placed a kiss in her palm.

"But I found you, and now we're here," he stated, still holding onto her hand. Jareth formed a crystal which transformed into her ring. Pending their engagement announcement, they decided that he would hold onto the ring until they were in private. Jareth carefully placed the ring on her finger. "In any version of reality, in whatever world you'd be in, I would find you."

"Jerk," Sarah muttered, wiping her eyes. "You know I get weepy late at night."

"So predictable," he said before kissing her cheek. "One of the many reasons I like having you around." Jareth placed the papers on the side table before turning back to Sarah.

"Shut up. I'm not predictable," she said, rolling her eyes. "I don't cry all the time."

"I knew you were going to do that," Jareth said smugly.

"Liar," Sarah contradicted.

"How dare you tarnish my character," he said as he climbed on top of her, pushing her upper body back on the bed.

"What are you doing?" she laughed, feeling his light kisses on her ear.

"You look so much better without those ridiculous clothes," Jareth acknowledged as he kisses moved down her body. When he arrived at her lower abdomen, he caressed Sarah's hips before gently resting his forehead on her stomach. "You are absolutely extraordinary. I can barely believe this is happening to me."

Sarah let out a short laugh. "Don't make it sound like this is some sort of an affliction."

"Never," he said. "Everything I care about is right here."

 


	19. Chapter 19

_You will believe in me_

_And I will never be ignored_

* * *

"Oh damn it," Tali muttered before puking into a metal bucket. Sitting on the floor, she leaned her head back after retching, resting it against the wall.

"How are you feeling?" Lochlan asked as he placed a chalice of water next to her.

"Does poitin make your brain throb?" she wondered aloud as she rested her head on the edge of the bucket.

"Yes," he answered, standing in front of her. "But if that's the worst of your symptoms after last night, consider yourself lucky."

"It very hard to feel lucky right now," Tali mumbled.

"Drink the water," he said, pointing to the chalice.

"I don't feel like ingesting anything," she said as her weary eyes looked up at him.

"Drink. The. Water," Lochlan ordered.

"Fine," she said. Tali set the bucket on the floor to her side before drinking any water. "I have never felt like this before."

"Let me bring you to a healer," he offered, kneeling down in front of her.

"No, I'm not that bad off," she insisted. "I should go through this as a reminder to never drink that much again."

"Ah, the wonderful stoic logic of an elf," Lochlan mused as he got up to stand. "Do you think you can eat?" Tali only nodded her head in confirmation. "Good, I'll send for some food. Don't run off."

"I'm not running anywhere," Tali muttered. Lochlan turned and walked away, but before he made it to his door, she stopped him. "I hope I didn't make a fool of myself. Sarah will not let me live it down if I did. Did I say anything weird last night?"

Lochlan refused to turn around, keeping his back to her. "No. Nothing odd at all."

When Lochlan returned, he noticed Tali found her way back to the bed with the bucket still on the floor. Her hair was slightly damp- pulled into a high bun on her head, and she was wearing one of his shirts.

"I assume you felt well enough to shower," he said. "At least, your head is no longer being obscured by that pail."

"Very funny," she muttered.

"While I'm quite humorous at most times, but I'm being serious," Lochlan said as he placed the tray on her lap. "A bowl of broth to settle your stomach." He took a small tea pot from the tray and placed it on the side table next to her. "Wafers and some ginger tea."

Tali looked down at her lap to see the food he brought for her. She didn't know what to expect from him after she woke up puking her guts out, but she was pleasantly surprised by his level of attentiveness. "Thank you," she whispered.

Lochlan leaned down to kiss her on her forehead. "Don't you dare move from this bed until I return; you were lucky that you found your way here last night without any unpleasant deviation."

"Okay," she replied, not putting up a fight. It's not as though she wished to move much anyway. "It was hard standing up to take a shower, but so worth it."

"Stay here; I'll be back shortly."

* * *

"You should pick a main color, Your Majesty," Lydia said as she started to lay out many fabric samples. "As you can see, all these colors would be lovely, but I think the eggplant should be the main color. It's a nice deep color but wouldn't be as distracting as the gold. Although, the navy would be lovely as the central color as well.

"Is this a conversation we are actually having?" Jareth muttered as he covered his eyes with his hand. "If you think we should go with _eggplant_ \- then go with the eggplant. Why is not simply called purple?"

"But I shouldn't have the final say, Sire," she said. "It's your wedding not mine. And there are many types of purple."

"Did Sarah go through all this nonsense with the coronation?" he asked, wondering how long he would have to put up with this madness.

"Yes," Lydia answered. She finally finished placing all the swatches down on the floor-nearly a hundred in total, all different shades of purple, navy, and gold. While everyone was still asleep, including Sarah, Jareth and Lydia were in a drawing room in the Elven castle considering swatches. They had only been in here for no more than half an hour and already Jareth felt the need to destroy the fabric choices in front of him.

"I couldn't care less about this minutia," Jareth complained.

"But this isn't about you; it's about the Court," she pointed out. "If it was up to you, Your Majesty, you would grab a seer and perform a simple ceremony in the woods."

"Is that so wrong?"

"Not for others, but yes for you," Lydia said as she pulled out a notebook and pen. "You do realize that given your position as King of the Goblins that you would still need to plan a wedding?"

Jareth said nothing but released an irritated grunt.

"Everything the Seelie Court does is elaborate, but planning a wedding would have to be done if you married," Lydia explained.

"Let's not pretend that all of this nonsense would occur for a Goblin Kingdom wedding," he criticized.

"Okay, forget about the color and focus on the fabric type for the tables at the reception. Which one do you prefer?"

Jareth sat up in his chair as he considered all the options. "They all look alike," he said tersely.

"Well, that's just over simplification," she said as she picked up a swatch. "This is tulle. The color is more mauve, but I think this is close enough to eggplant to provide a nice contrast with the other colors. I don't recommend this for the tables, but it could drape the windows or be added to the chairs."

"This is complete bullocks," Jareth muttered as he returned to his lounging position. "Sarah already gave you the colors- just go with whatever you think would work best."

"If you don't want to be here," Lydia asked out loud. "Why do you insist on planning? You even said it yourself that you hate this. We should just ask Sarah all these questions." She stood up from the floor but before she could walk anywhere, Jareth was standing in front of her.

"No one is to wake her," he stated. "She needs her rest."

"Did she give this order? She didn't let me know," she stated. "She could have easily told me this."

"I'm giving that order," Jareth said emphatically. "Never will you bother her with these issues."

"You are making this very confusing," Lydia mumbled. "I would ask what is going on, but that's not my place."

"No, it's not," he confirmed as he returned to his chair. "Now, do you have anything less dull to discuss than these fabric choices?"

"Well," Lydia said as she reached into a large bag, pulling out several pieces of paper. "I have several mock ups of the invitations that will be sent out. Which do you prefer?"

"Damn all of this."

The door to the room flew open causing Lydia to quickly stand as Jareth slowly turned around to face the cause of the intrusion.

"Whoever you are- leave," Lochlan ordered to the startled human. "Where is Sarah?"

"First, don't order around my subject," Jareth said as he stayed in his lounging state.

"Former subject, Your Majesty," Lydia teased.

"Regardless," he said. "And shouldn't you have better things to do than to barge down doors."

"I don't have time for this squabble," Lochlan said as he walked into the room. "Where is Sarah? And what the blood hell is this?"

Jareth regarded the patchwork of colors before turning back to his brother. "I thought you didn't have time for squabbling. And Sarah is not to be bothered with whatever crazed ideas you have so early in the morning."

"My reasons are not crazed," Lochlan growled as his lips curled in disgust.

"Lydia, leave for a moment," Jareth said, now intrigued by his brother's insistence. When she left, Jareth stood from his chair and walked over to Lochlan. "Should I have cause for concern and does this really need to involve Sarah?"

"I don't know why you are the keeper of her sleep. But, ensure she gets this," he said as he handed a small box to Jareth.

Jareth opened the box. "What the hell is this?" Jareth asked, surprised at its contents.

"A potential mistake," Lochlan responded. "I nearly gave this to Tali last night, which would have been disastrous."

"What exactly were you planning to do?"

"Don't concern yourself with that," Lochlan said. "Right now, I don't trust myself to give this to her at a wrong time. So tell Sarah to keep it safe."

"And why don't you trust me with it?" Jareth asked, almost insulted.

"Because Sarah will know when the time is right for me to give this to Tali," he explained as he looked at the various swatches on the ground. Lochlan's mouth twisted into a knowing smirk. "Although I am wondering: does marrying the Queen of the Seelie Court mean you are now in charge of decorating the Palace?"

"Get out of my sight."

* * *

" _Stop walking so much," Odhran said with a yawn as he slid against the wall to the floor._

" _This can't happen!" Sawyer hissed. "We can't allow it to happen!"_

" _I'm not quite sure we have a say in anything," Odhran said. "We take orders- not give them."_

" _Settle down, Sawyer," Eòran sighed, peeling of his sweat-stained shirt. "We should all be happy that our future Queen is now awake." With a day of training behind them, Eòran couldn't understand how Sawyer still had the energy to be outraged._

" _Yes, but now what?" Sawyer asked. "That_ thing _has been by her side for weeks now, maybe longer. The Unseelie have no place in this palace."_

" _He also kept her safe from Oberon," Eòran stated._

"King _Oberon," Sawyer clarified. "Or have you forgotten."_

" _Who tried to kill the Princess- or did you forget that part?" Odhran said as he took off one of his boots._

" _I never said he was perfect, but he had a title and he was out King," Sawyer said. "Regardless of who sits on the throne, the Seelie Court has never cavorted with the Unseelies, and we can't allow that to happen now."_

" _Are you insane enough to think of a coup?" Eòran asked, dumbfounded by the idea._

" _What? No, that's preposterous," Sawyer said. "Princess Sarah is our future Queen. But do the two of you not see it? Her time away from the Court has poisoned her mind._ It _has poisoned her mind."_

" _He is part Unseelie," Odhran said with a shrug. "I wouldn't put it past him."_

"It," _Sawyer spat. "It is nothing more than a pile of Unseelie scum masquerading as a king of who knows what those creatures are. We should stop his influence in our Queen's life. She's young and impressionable. Once he is gone, Princess Sarah will thank us for lifting this burden."_

" _Listen, from what I can decipher, you're not alone in thinking this," Eòran said. "I don't trust him either. But like Odhran said, we take orders. We don't give demands."_

_A sly grin slowly stretched across Sawyer's face. "Who said we can't?"_

"Hey!" hissed Brexton has he shook Odhran's shoulder.

Odhran swatted Brexton's hand away as he slowly rose from his resting spot.

"Is there a reason why you're bothering me?" Odhran asked, his words slurred from exhaustion.

"Are you really going to leave Erick out there?" Brexton questioned as he kneeled next to the fae.

"Those are the orders," he said as he continued to wish in vain that the ground was softer against his back. "Erick's has two more days. I don't think any carnivorous animals have wandered by. If they have, he's being real quiet about being ripped to shreds."

"You find this funny?" Brexton asked as his voice rose in outrage.

"No, but it would mean a lot that made you laugh," Odhran said with a smirk. "Keep your voice down unless you want to join him. I'm guessing you are bothering me because everyone else is asleep."

"I don't even know if I should send these plans to the Palace," Brexton said, his hand ghosting over the pocket in his shirt where the copy of the plan was held. "These ideas are so crazy- there's no way this could work. Could they?"

"Probably not," Odhran mumbled as he lay back down. Much to Sawyer's feeble protest, Odhran decided to sleep on the outskirts of camp, away from the others, to ensure nothing happened to Erick. "Garrison was the good strategizing- that's why he's a great commander. Sawyer was always the enforcer as you can tell. But whatever- at least no one should get killed like the last one."

"Are you sure about that?" Brexton asked.

"No," Odhran said as he closed his eyes. Brexton let out a small grunt as he made his way to a tree pretending that he need to use the restroom. After he sent the plans to his Palace liaison, Brexton walked back to his sleeping bag next to Odhran.

"May I ask you a question?" Brexton asked, knowing that Odhran wasn't asleep-even though he pretended to be.

Odhran's eyes remained close as he tried to fall back asleep. "Will you not if I say no?"

"How did you get caught up with Sawyer anyway?" Brexton said, ignoring any contempt coming his way. "I guess- Did you know he was bit unhinged?"

Odhran let out a heavy sigh as he rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand, yet still keeping his eyes closed. "Sawyer has always been single mind and focused. That's how he rose so fast within the Palace Guard."

"And if I'm not being too presumptuous, why did you think this would work?" he asked. "I mean, there are a lot of guards who still feel unease with the closeness the Court now has with the Unseelies, but we still do our job."

"Well, you are a better fae than I," Odhran admitted. "There's probably a bit of charmed delusion on all of us who defected."

"What sort of delusion?"

"Some of us, particularly Sawyer, have always taken a liking to the Queen," Odhran stated as he pulled his blanket higher on his body.

Brexton nearly laughed at what he heard. "Our Queen is not cold like her mother, but I doubt she knows who most of us are. You believe she notices any of us in _that_ way?"

"No, but Sawyer does."

* * *

"Hey, I was beginning to wonder where you went," Tali said as she lay in bed. She started to sit up when Lochlan stopped her.

"Lie back down," he ordered as he approached the bed. "No repeats of last night."

Tali looked up at the ceiling as she let out a sigh. "What did I do last night?"

"Nothing horrible," Lochlan replied, kissing her forehead. "You just got a bit lightheaded." He stepped away from the bed and placed a vase on the table next to her.

"Flowers?" Tali said with surprise in her voice. "Did you pick them yourself?"

"Yes," he answered. "I picked the flowers I wanted, and a gardener cut them for me."

"Well, it's more than I would expect," she chuckled.

"What does that mean?" Lochlan asked, trying to mask his annoyance with curiosity. Did she not notice the flowers he gave her before? Does she really think him so self-serving that he wouldn't do anything for her?

"You hate flowers," Tali explained. "I think you said they were useless, or maybe that they were stupid. I forget."

"Yet you love them," he countered. "And I only wish to see you happy."

"Well… thank you," she said. "You've done a lot for me today. I just wasn't expecting a gift after nearly throwing up on your floor." Tali attempted to push the bed covers away but Lochlan stilled her hands.

"What are you doing?" Lochlan asked.

"I have to go back to the Elf Kingdom-uh, Queendom," Tali corrected. "Whatever. Regardless, I need to leave. There are events planned for today."

"Sarah is visiting an Elven winery and touring several soldering shops," Lochlan stated. "I doubt you need to be there."

"But it doesn't matter whether I need to be there or not," she countered. "I have a job to do, and I will be there for it. Hold on- how did you know what the schedule was for today?"

"I know all the events Sarah plans to attend for this ridiculous posturing she continues with," he explained.

"It's not posturing," Tali argued. "She cares about her subjects and vice versa. Just because your subjects don't care about seeing you doesn't mean it's not important."

Lochlan breathed deeply before taking a step back, allowing her to move from the mattress.

"I'm so happy I could convince you to free me from the confines of your bed," Tali joked. "We'll be in the Dwarf Kingdom tomorrow, but you already knew that. Not much time will be spent there, but a lot to do so I don't know if I'll be able to sneak away."

"There's no reason to sneak off," he smirked. "Just embarrass yourself enough that you need to hide out here."

"You are so funny," Tali said without a trace of humor in her voice. "Don't count on it." She tried to walk away, but Lochlan gently grabbed her by the shoulders, ensuring that she was facing him. His hands trailed up her shoulders to her neck before resting against her checks, gently caressing them. His black eyes gazed into her bright blue ones. Certain things he wanted to tell her, but after last night, he didn't dare let her know.

"You do realize how much I care for you, yes?" he asked.

Tali didn't understand why he asked such an unusual question, but she didn't feel like questioning him about it. She had somewhere she needed to be.

Tali smiled at him before kissing him on the cheek. "Of course. I care about you too."

* * *

" _The Goblin King still hasn't wakened. Maybe he never will, and we won't have to carry do this," Eòran said. "How long have we been huddled in here? We should just abort this plan."_

" _Don't be such a weakling," Sawyer hissed. "I'm now beginning to question Garrison's judgment since he's the one who keeps allowing you to rise in the ranks."_

_The door to the small room they were all huddled in opened._

" _Hurry up and shut the door, Powell," Sawyer ordered._

" _Sorry," Powell apologized as he quietly closed the door. "Princess Sarah just left the Unseelie King. I'm not quite sure where they are going, but there is only one guard posted at the door."_

" _All right. We might not have much time," Sawyer said as he walked toward the door._

" _Hold on, Sawyer," Odhran said. "There is still a guard posted outside. And all you have is an iron knife. How are planning to subdue him? The last thing we need is a magic fight in break out."_

" _Like you said," Sawyer responded. "I have a knife. Now, are you ready to cover me or not?"_

" _The plan was to never hurt our own," Eòran said._

" _I will stop anyone who will stand in my way," Sawyer stated passionately. He did a quick sweep of the room. There were only six of them. The others were outside the Palace perimeter, waiting for the cue that everything went well. According to him, his plan was simple yet effective. After tonight, the Unseelies would no longer taint the halls of the Court. "Now let's go."_

_The small group walked out of the room, still wearing their palace guard uniforms. They turned a corner, heading toward the Princess' chambers. But before they could make the final turn toward her rooms, Garrison and a large company of Palace guards blocked Sawyer and his men._

" _Stand down. What do you think you're doing, Sawyer?" Garrison asked as he crossed his arms over his chest._

" _Get out of my way," Sawyer said, standing his ground. "Don't pretend as though you are welcoming of this_ thing _into the Court. You hate the Unseelies more than anyone I know. We should dispose of this_ Goblin King _before he wakes up. Let me do this, and I'll take all the blame. You won't have to dirty your hands."_

" _Regardless of my feeling toward the Unseelies," Garrison snarled. "I refuse to allow it to become between me and my duty to the Court. Don't make me regret vouching for you all these years. I will say this only one more time: stand down."_

" _No- you stand down!" Sawyer yelled. "One day, our children will look back at this moment and know that this was the beginning of the end of the Court. Oberon would never stand for this."_

" _Oberon was demented," Garrison refuted. "And we all know that." Sawyer said nothing as his grip tightened around the handle of his knife._

_Garrison realized that Sawyer was not going to walk away from his madness so he directed his next words to those behind him._

" _Powell, Odhran, Eòran, Roux, Erick, you can't go through with this," Garrison implored. "All that awaits you is death or a cell."_

" _Bastard!" Sawyer yelled as he lunged toward Garrison. However, Garrison moved out of the way while grabbing Sawyer's arm, putting the defector in a submissive hold. The knife dropped to the ground._

" _You're living in a fool's paradise," Garrison snarled into Sawyer's ear. "Killing him will not make the Princess care for you. She doesn't even know who you are." Without warning, an elbow collided against Garrison's nose as he released Sawyer in pain._

" _C'mon, let's get out of here!" Sawyer ordered as his group retreated through the Palace halls._

" _Follow them! Don't let them escape!" Garrison yelled as he noticed blood flowing from his face._

Sawyer woke up to the feeling of a swift kick to his leg.

"Dammit!" he yelled as he quickly sat up.

"Sleeping late doesn't become you," Odhran said as he frowned down at the red headed fae.

"Maybe we should move somewhere else," Sawyer muttered as he massaged his back. "It's hard to sleep. I keep having shit dreams."

"Yeah, I don't care about your dreams," Odhran said. "Weylyn wants to know if you want him or Roux to go hunting. They're bickering, and I'm thinking about stabbing them so they will finally be quiet."

"Why can't they both go out to hunt?" Sawyer asked as he rose to his feet.

"Because they're simple," Odhran answered. "Or itching for a fight. Possibly both."

"And I thought I had a bad night sleep," Sawyer stated as he regarded Odhran.

"Yeah, whatever," Odhran mumbled as he turned to walk away. "Just fix this."

 

 


	20. Chapter 20

_It's no secret that the both of us  
Are running out of time_

* * *

  _Day 1_

_Hello,_

_I decided that I should write down my daily adventures (okay, not really adventures), mostly to help keep my sanity during while I’m pregnant- because I can’t complain to Jareth because most of my complaints are about him._

_Have I mention that he is ordering me what to eat? I have to write that fact down because years from now I’m sure I will find that quirk of his humorous. I guess I should be happy that he is concerned. The alternative would be worse. And another thing, keeping this secret can be maddening. I need to at least keep this journal going until this pregnancy is announced._

_Also, two days ago, I woke up to the news that I’m keeping this small box from Lochlan “safe”, but apparently, he hasn’t found the time to tell me what all of this is about. I’m not going to chase after him. He can come to me when he’s ready._

_Anyway- This probably wasn’t the best day to start journaling. First full day in the Dwarf Kingdom, and I’ve been informed that I’ll be spending most of the day at various stone quarries. What am I even going to do there? Feigning interest in every little thing that this Court does is taxing. That wasn’t nice; I shouldn’t have written that. But I have to appear happy regarding these things because Jareth certainly is not going to._

* * *

 “Lochlan!” Tali called out as she walked down the desolate hallways. “Where are you?”

Having a half day of free time, she decided to visit him- sober. Tali was not really herself the last time she was here, a little over a day ago. However, searching all the rooms in his chamber she realized that he wasn’t there. While she was going to go on a wild goose chase to find him, Tali remembered where his throne room and was going to see if he was there.

The doors to the throne room were closed. Deciding not to knock, she slowly opened one of the heavy doors as it groaned in protest. She saw him sitting in his throne, gazing out the window, appearing as though he didn’t notice her.

“Lochlan?” she asked, confused by his quiet disposition. “Are you all right?”

“Hm?” he muttered as he turned his head toward her. A quizzical eyebrow was raised at the sight of her. “When did you arrive?”

“Not long ago,” Tali answered, standing in front of his throne. “You seem troubled with something.”

“Aren’t you perceptive?” Lochlan smirked. “What brings you here?”

“Um,” she muttered, confused by his attitude. Tali looked down at the stone floor before looking up at him with hurt in her eyes. “I had a bit of free time so I thought I would come see you. Are you upset with me or something?”

“Of course not, Tali,” he said as he stood up from his throne. “I’m simply very busy.”

“Then why were you just sitting here?” she asked as he walked to stand in front of her.

“I was thinking about all the things I need to do,” Lochlan replied. He reached up tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I have a lot to think about.”

Tali moved closer to him as her hands wrapped around his neck. “Want to stop thinking for a while?”

Lochlan opened his mouth but quickly closed it as he took two steps away from her. “No,” he replied.

Tali’s eyes widened before narrowing in suspicion. “You never answered whether or not you are all right. Do you want to talk about something?”

“I have a very busy afternoon,” he said, turning his back on her to return to his throne. “You should return back to Sarah.”

“Lochlan…”

His attention returned back to the window. “Please leave, Tali.”

* * *

  _Day 3_

_I just started this journal, and I can’t manage to write in it every day._

_I’ve learned a lot about dwarves since being in their kingdom is that Hoggle was not an outlier. Grumpy, greedy for shiny objects, and general distrust of strangers- I’m just happy that these are characteristics of all dwarves as opposed to thinking that there was something about me that Hoggle didn’t like when I first met him- makes me feel better that I wasn’t necessarily the problem. Also, they like to drink- A lot. Also, eat everything. And they like to drink- I know I said it already, but I cannot emphasize this enough._

_Jareth did tell me that most of the goblin ale exports go to the Dwarves. From what I saw, Dwarves are basically bankrolling Jareth and his kingdom. Bunch of drunks. Although, they are entertaining while inebriated. Drunken dwarves are less likely to look at you with suspicious eyes when they’re drunk._

_Oh, and in case, I forget: We didn’t visit dwarves in their home or a pub. They work in that state. I’m not joking or elaborating in any way. There is a giant keg at the mouth of every cave and mine, and several dwarves are in charge of keeping in filled throughout the day. Seriously, that’s their only job and responsibility- to make sure no one gets sober. I didn’t see anyone get hurt and King Rhys certainly knows this is occurring. So, I just shrugged and let it go._

_I must admit as much as I thought staring at mines would be as dull as watching paint dry I’m glad to admit that only a fraction of them are dull. Seeing quartz filled walls that still managed to sparkle in the dark was a sight to see. I think I saw Jareth yawn throughout our tour though. He’s shouldn’t be the benchmark for what is considered entertainment._

_I’ve been told that we are going to view a collection of dwarf axes. Apparently, it’s a huge deal here, and it’s like a museum here in the castle. Jareth nearly laughed at the idea of such a thing existing. But, he’s not really supportive of dwarves, now is he?_

* * *

 Garrison pulled out a small metal watch from his pocket, checking the time to ensure he and his men were not behind schedule before placing the watch back in his pocket.

“Are we sure we’re in the right spot?” a fae guard asked his commander.

“Our spy hasn’t let us down yet,” he said as ran his hand through his silver hair. “No reason to doubt him now.”

“Is the timing of this right?” the same guard asked.

“I don’t know if they have watches,” Garrison said, becoming irritated with constant questioning. “I was told shortly after dusk, and here we are. So you just wait. Or would you rather be at the Palace on gate detail?”

Even though daylight was quickly dissipating, the guard could see the frustration in Garrison’s eyes. “No, I’m good here,” he answered.

“I feel the shift in magical energy,” an elf Palace guard whispered as he crouched next to Garrison.

“How far?” Garrison asked.

“About half a league away,” the elf guard stated as he pointed in front of him. “Down the hill; between that village and us.”

“I didn’t expect them to appear that far away,” Garrison mused. He turned his guards, pointed to three of them and then pointed in the direction of the perpetrators. “You three, head behind them toward the village. The rest of you follow me.”

* * *

 Taggert exhaled loudly as he loudly placed his fork on his plate.

“I know you’re not one for a lack of words,” he said as he rubbed his brow. “If you have something to say, I wish you would come out and say it.” Taggert originally thought that Kalin had decided that the coronation incident would be a nonfactor after she had time to calm down. After all, she did accept his invitation to join him for dinner.

Seemingly calm and undisturbed by what Taggert was saying, Kalin placed a piece of bread on her plate so she could cut it with her knife. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Considering that sentence is the most words you’ve said to me tonight, I would be dense to belive that what you’re saying is true,” Taggert said.

Kalin sighed in annoyance. “I think that you are overreacting; I just wanted a peaceful dinner.”

“So peaceful that you barely care to talk to me?” he asked.

“I’m talking. We’re talking! This is talking,” she countered, defending herself.

“Please don’t pretend that you’re not angry with me,” Taggert said as he placed his arms on the table. “I’d rather you yell at me than spend the entire evening saying three words to me.”

“That’s an exaggeration,” Kalin scoffed, placing her hands in her lap. “I’ve clearly said more than that to you.” A pointed stare from Taggert met her dismissive words causing her to look down at the table before looking back at him. “I was hurt by what I saw…”

“Kalin-”

“Let me finish,” she spat as she glared at him. “I was hurt by what I saw in the Elven Castle, but I don’t think you are foolish enough to do what could have been implied that night. Regardless, I find no use in mulling over this.” She placed her knife on the table as she continued to stare at her plate. “I wish to not speak about this anymore.”

Taggert let out a sigh. “Kalin, it wasn’t…”

“I don’t want to speak about it anymore!” She picked up the bread and took a bite.

“All right,” he sighed, defeat in his voice. Several minutes of uncomfortable silence stretched between them before he decided to break it. “I thought you should know that, I have been informed that your pixie tea is becoming popular, much to my surprise.”

Kalin didn’t look up from her plate, but Taggert could see a smile forming across her mouth.

“I told you centaurs would like tea,” she smugly replied.

“It appears as though I’ll need to import more, or I’ll have a riot on my hand,” he admitted. “Or you’ll have a group of hefty migrants on your hands. You’re not lacing that stuff with something else do you?”

“I’m not revealing any of our secrets,” Kalin said with a wink.

* * *

 The fake smile plastered on Sarah’s face was at risk of faltering with every contrite sentence that came from King of the Dwarves, Rhys, and his wife Teresa. Sarah was tired of this, and she was certain that if she said what she truly felt out loud it would just cause more apologies.

“We hope you understand that Rhys still feels absolutely horrible following Oberon’s orders,” Teresa said with a somber King of the Dwarf seated next to her. “We know ignorance is not an excuse…”

“We’ve heard all of your regrets,” Jareth interrupted, equally annoyed at this conversation. He enjoyed groveling, especially when nobles grovel, but not constant groveling. A gentle hand reached over and covered one of his gloved hands. Jareth looked over to see Sarah giving him a pointed look.

“Jareth’s correct. Honestly, if there was a real problem,” she told the royal couple. “It would have been dealt with, severely. Therefore, we should all move on to something more enjoyable to speak about.”

Rhys and Teresa mouths clamped shut. Sarah was pleased with their reaction since she had enough with treating them with kids’ gloves. Rhys always had a horrible habit of brining Oberon up in conversation. He wanted to make amends, but that time of her life was over. She was tired of Rhys always bringing this up, for many reasons, but mostly because she was tired of reliving this part of her life. A lot of new events were happening and remembering that her father plotted to kill her tends to put a damper on any good feelings she had.

“Of course,” Teresa said quickly as she began to pour everyone a cup of tea.

The Queen of the Dwarves was a slight fae with silver hair cut into a layered bob. Sarah had met Teresa a few times before, but Sarah was still taken aback by the fae. Short hair was rare among faes especially the females, but the hairstyle suited the simple overall aesthetic that was the Dwarf Kingdom.

Not much time had passed into the royal tea time before a loud series of knocks interrupted the conversation.

“Enter,” King Rhys bellowed. Everyone stared at the door as they saw Garrison walking in, appearing a bit fatigued and disheveled.

“Your Majesties,” Garrison said as he gave a deep bow. When he stood, he properly gestured to Sarah and Jareth. “May I speak with you, privately?”

Although she was a bit apprehensive about whether or not Garrison was successful, Sarah was a bit ashamed to admit that she was happy for any distraction.

“Don’t bother to move,” King Rhys said with a smile as he and Teresa stood up. “We can continue this conversation tomorrow.”

When the King and Queen of the Dwarves left, Garrison was left standing alone near the door.

“Well, are you going to say something or would you like to stand there instead?” Jareth asked brusquely as he began to fidget in his seat.

“Take a seat,” Sarah exhaled as she gestured to the now empty seats that were across her. “Was Brexton’s information correct? Did they show up?”

“Yes,” Garrison answered as he moved to the chairs. “One surrendered. The others, well they’re still alive. They’ll need a healer once they get settled in the Palace prison.”

“A bunch of bloody twits,” Jareth muttered, standing from his chair to pace.

“Walking around isn’t going to help,” Sarah said as she massaged her temples.

“But it’s not going to hurt,” he countered as he continued walking.

“There’s no reason to concern yourself,” Garrison said, trying to reassure them. “We caught them. I don’t even think anyone else noticed them. At least those in the village seemed unperturbed with the commotion.”

“They were probably all drunk,” Sarah surmised.

“That’s not the point!” Jareth shouted as he ceased his movements. “We thought they were over this after the Pixie Castle debacle. Didn’t you say that this Sawyer was probably going to be discouraged after we foiled all of his attacks?”

“I didn’t expect Sawyer to hold on for this long,” Garrison admitted. “On the bright side, everyone we have caught I know. I don’t believe Sawyer is recruiting anyone.”

“Don’t get angry at him,” Sarah said as she turned toward Jareth. “It’s only natural to think that; I thought the same thing. Who would stay holding on to a cause this long.”

“I’m happy that you feel that way, Your Majesty,” Garrison replied, apologetically, as he reached into his breast pocket. “Because I received another message from Brexton.”

The sound of a fist banging against the wall nearly drowned out Sarah’s sighing.

“Dammit!”

* * *

  _Day 10_

_Haven’t written since “Day 3”. In fairness, everything has gotten so busy that I didn’t even see this journal for a few days. It’s just stayed packed away._

_No a lot of time, but a quick breakdown:_

  * _Foiled another one of Sawyer’s plans. I immensely dislike talking about him so I won’t do it here._


  * _Giants are enormous and intimidating, but you can’t let them know that you are scared of them because you’ll hurt their feelings. Funny enough, Giants are gentle creatures. Mostly._


  * _Jareth is still bossy and anxious. I realize that’s his general disposition. Regardless, he probably thinks that someone will sneeze near me causing me to become so alarmed that I will fall over and break my back; I’m hoping he calms down a little, for my nerves at least._


  * _Also, King Cillian is an asshole, but a respectable asshole once you get to know him. I’m sure that’s a real characteristic that can be attained. Probably the type of attitude one needs to rule Giants._


  * _Lochlan still hasn’t bothered me about this box. I should see what it is, but I resist. Also, he has been leaving Tali alone. Maybe she told him that she needs to actually work and not be randomly abducted. That’s a very rude things to do_



* * *

  _Day 13_

_Approximately 16 days since I was told that I was pregnant and nearly 15 days and 12 hours since I’ve wanted to throw Jareth in a room so he would leave me alone. I can’t wait until this pregnancy is over. When that happens, his obsessing will be spread to the three of us instead of just me. Yay? I think._

_Why have I been bad at this? Clearly, the idea of saving this experience for my children isn’t helping me remember. Started this journal after the crowning of Gwendoline, and I told myself to keep my journal entries daily. Yet, I keep forgetting. Maybe if I start writing this journal directly to you two I would remember to write every day._

_How should I do this? I could address you personally. So, Jareth says one of you has a more animated magical energy than the other. We’re guessing you are going to be a trouble maker. Naturally, we nicknamed you “Little Gremlin.” We call you that with love, we promise. With Jareth as your father it was too be expected. Although I haven’t been a saint my whole life either. But, I find it easier to blame this sort of thing on him._

_You, the calm one, the fun thing about you is that your energy calms Jareth whenever he find you. So, we call you “Beatnik.” Your father didn’t know what that meant, but I explained it to him and I’ll explain it to you as well. One of these days, we’ll look into real names for you. But how funny would it be for you to have those names? Probably only funny to me._

_However, I’m going to keep writing; I always did this when I was younger and I forgot how therapeutic I found it. Maybe if I remember to do this every day, I won’t feel the need to lock away that love of my life in a cell._

_Speak of the devil- did I mention how your father and I nearly had a row over allowing the Dwarf Kingdom subjects near me? Apparently, he believed their large heads would come into contact with my abdomen and hurt you two. Have I mentioned that he’s crazy? You will learn this one day and you will read this and realize that he has always been that way. Maybe part of the problem is that he has something against dwarves. Doesn’t matter. Again, you’ll learn about his moods and quirks. He still has a something against Hoggle. Although, he did say that he didn’t want the giants near me. Come to think about it: he doesn’t want anyone near me. Jareth ensured that I was completely encircled with Palace guards during our stay in the Giant Kingdom. I have to keep reminding him that he can’t wrap me in a bubble until this is over- as much as he would love to do that._

_I mentioned a few days ago how some crazy faes want your father to not be around (That’s as nicely as I can put it). As much as it breaks my heart for you to know this, this is something that you two need to know. I refuse to hide the truth from you two like it was for me._

_Our impending nuptial-as Lydia calls it- has been announced which caused quite the reaction from this group yesterday. That was to be expected. Let’s hope this is all over before you guys are announced. Luckily our mole hasn’t been discovered, but I know we can’t count on him forever. Apparently, one or two people escaped Sawyer’s camp- we don’t know what happened to them. With his plan’s failing all the time, Sawyer will probably become more erratic, and we need to be proactive now._

_I should finish this entry up. We’re about to head over to the Troll Kingdom. Things might get weird there. No reason to go into that now. I shouldn’t leave writing on a gloomy note. What happened so far this morning that was humorous-_

_Ah, I see the embodiment of happiness just barged through the door. It’s your father, and he’s now loudly complaining about all that this wedding planning is putting him through. The fact that he is yelling about “bloody silverware” is the highlight of my morning. I’ll just continue to eat these scones to hide my amusement until I’m told we’re ready to leave._

_Until next time, Little Gremlin and Beatnik_

A knock on the door stopped Jareth’s complaining about able settings, much to Sarah’s chagrin.

“Yes?” Sarah called out. A guard who has been assigned to protect Sarah for the rest of the tour walked in with an exhausted look on his face.

“Your Majesty…”

“I quit!” Toby yelled as he marched into the room, pushing the guard to the side.

“You are supposed to wait until I call you in,” the guard pointed out the human.

“I’ll deal with him, Eamon,” Sarah smirked. “You’re dismissed.” The guard held back a grumble before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

Toby stood in the middle of the drawing room with his hair a skewed and clothes disheveled.

“Did you have a fight with the mirror this morning?” Jareth asked casually leaned against the wall, finding amusement in the boy’s appearance.

“I’ve been up all night; I need to sleep,” Toby complained. “Do faes not sleep?”

Faes sleep; elves don’t,” Jareth answered. “I’m sure Cormac forgets these things.”

Because there was no major Seelie Court event occurring for the next few weeks, Cormac’s, and therefore Toby’s, attention has been on the final kingdom in the tour: the Goblin Kingdom. Jareth and his subject have yet to have a proper induction to the Court since their addition a few months ago. Therefore, the past few weeks have had Toby playing flunky to prepare for the induction ceremony that the Palace plans for the Goblin Kingdom. Toby had spent so much time at the Palace that Sarah hadn’t seen him for a week.

“Are you kidding me?” Toby angrily muttered.

“How did you get here?” Sarah questioned. He didn’t have magic so there was no way he arrived at the Giant Kingdom by himself.

“Cormac literally dropped me off outside the door,” he answered as he began to rub his backside. “There was no reason for him to drop me on the ground like that. Now, my ass hurts.”

“I think I’m supposed to yell at you for language, but I don’t care to,” Sarah said with a shrug.

“You’re going to yell at me for language?” Toby refuted. “I’m dressed like a pirate like all the men here-

“What!” Jareth objected.

“I now know how to write with quill pens; I’m working alongside thousand plus year old beings; and you’re going to harp on me about language?” Toby countered as he placed his hands at his side.

Sarah tried not to laugh yet failed. “Such defiance. I should lock you away for talking to me like that.”

“You should lock him away for saying we dress like pirates,” Jareth fumed.

“Only the males. I have good taste,” Sarah said as she disregarded Jareth’s glares. “Toby, when’s the last time you slept and is this outrage because of your dislike of Cormac?”

“Two days and yes, but also from not having slept in two days,” Toby stated. “That would make anyone crabby! I know I messed up in the way I got to this place. But haven’t I made my penance? It’s been like five months.”

“Three weeks,” Sarah corrected. “Max.”

“Same difference!”

“I’m not the one who sentenced you to this work labor,” she said as she turned her attention to the still upset fae. He really does not take mocking about his wardrobe well. If it involves him in any way, Jareth doesn’t take mocking of any kind well

“This ceremony and the following celebration are taking a lot of work as you can verify,” Jareth said as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re needed there. What use do you have here?”

“Damn it, Jareth,” Sarah muttered as she covered her face with her hands. Just like other faes, sometimes his words came off as especially harsh; however, he rarely cared about that fact- just like any other fae. Nevertheless, his comment didn’t have both Toby at all. Cleary, he has spent enough time around the creatures of the Underground that he no longer felt any insult from such language.

Almost as though a light bulb appeared above Toby’s head, he yelled, “The wedding! You hate it; I can help.”

“With what?” Jareth asked, unimpressed with the suggestion. He actually liked the idea but didn’t want to give Toby to much credit.

“Anything!” Toby exclaimed. “I just don’t want to work with Cormac anymore. That elf is bossy and borderline neurotic. ”

Sarah said nothing as she shook her head ruefully as she returned her attention to her plate of scones. Apparently, Toby believed Jareth was easier to work for. _Whatever_ , she thought as she took a bite.

Jareth extended his gloved hand toward the boy as his mouth turned into a sly grin.

“Deal.”

* * *

 “I’m sorry, Sawyer,” Roux said with a downcast expression. “I don’t see Erick or his belongings. No footprints. We must have all been too exhausted to notice him leaving.”

“Fuck!” Sawyer exclaimed.

“Hey, quiet down,” Odhran called out from across the camp. “Some of us are trying to sleep over here.”

Sawyer glared at the cantankerous fae, but his actions went unnoticed because Odhran quickly buried under his blankets to go back to sleep.

“This is the third runaway,” Sawyer seethed. “I knew I should have slit his throat weeks ago.” He ran his hands over his face, trying to calm his nerves. “For the past few weeks, I’ve been wondering if we had a mole, but now I’m convinced it’s just bad luck.”

Roux let out a snort. “You believe in luck?”

“Of course not,” Sawyer said dismissively. “But how else would you explain all of this? The Palace Guard is killing and capturing my men, and the ones that have returned to the camp leave us in a few days later.”

“We don’t know if the Guard killed your men,” Roux stated. “They could be captured or ran away.”

Sawyer rolled his eyes. “You’re making me feel so much better about all of this.”

Silence stretched between them as they both looked upon the sleeping camp.

“What if you were right about that?” Roux whispered as he leaned closer to Sawyer.

“Bad luck? Didn’t you just mock me for that?” Sawyer wondered aloud.

“No, the latter part,” Roux corrected. “What if there’s a mole?”

* * *

 “This place is huge,” Toby said quietly as he walked behind Sarah and Jareth. He gazed up at the large ceilings and around at the large hallway they walked through.

“This is the castle for the Trolls,” Jareth replied without looking behind him. “These beings like to have their space, Tobias.”

Toby’s eyes squinted in irritation because Jareth used his full name. He was certain that Jareth did this solely to annoy him.

“But I thought Giants were-uh- giant,” Toby said. “Why do trolls need a lot of space?”

“Trolls are larger than faes but much shorter than giants,” the fae who was escorting them to their room replied. “They’re not a very coordinated race- hence the ample space. However, they don’t care too much for the castle anyhow.”

“Trolls are interesting creatures,” Sarah added.

The fae gave the Queen a smirk. “They’re a foul race. You can feel free to say what you want here. There are no trolls in this castle.”

“I wouldn’t call them foul,” Sarah said with a bit of chastisement in her voice. “They’re unique, and the Seelie Court loves individuality.”

“Since when?” Jareth muttered as he looked at his surroundings. That question led to a harsh nudge in the side.

“Nice speech, _politician_ ,” Toby commented.

* * *

  _Day 14_

_Little Gremlin and Beatnik,_

_I hope you never have to deal with something like this, but it’s at times like this when you need to find whatever it is you need to find so that you are able to sit by a dying king’s side for a few hours, all by yourself, and not show how distraught you are by his condition. I only have about an hour until dinner so I don’t have that much time to write all this down, but I’ll write until my time is over._ _Brennus is now, and has been for several months, the Acting King of the Trolls. His father, Driskell, is the second ruler of the Trolls, and his father (Oskar, I believe) was appointed ruler by Mab, my grandmother and your great grandmother. Wow, that’s weird to write out._

_Anyway, it is true that the Trolls revolted against the Unseelies and were shortly added to the Seelie Court. However, ruling the trolls was no walk in the park even though I’ve been told it is much easier now. Driskell spent much of his rule quelling any chaos that the trolls caused. I refuse to write out in detail what Driskell told me, however, a run in with a renegade troll caused a piece of iron to be imbedded in Driskell’s abdomen. The best healers in the Court haven’t been able to pull it out. He’s been suffering with this ailment for centuries. Driskell isn’t very old (he’s just started his second millennium of rule twenty years ago), but he looks so broken down and withdrawn. Just like everyone else who followed my insane father, he offered me his regrets in person. If I didn’t blame Cillian or Rhys, I’m definitely not going to blame a sick king on his death bed._

_I’ve never heard anyone express how much he wishes to go to the Fade until today. The look on his face will be stuck in my brain forever. I’m meeting Brennus for the first time tonight for dinner. And if he’s anything like his father, I think I will like him._

* * *

 “This is the last place I want to be,” Kalin complained as she walked through the moss-covered forest floor.

The isolated cabin that Taggert loved was not one of Kalin’s favorite places. In fact, she hadn’t visited this dwelling since she came here to plot her treachery with her now beloved. She wasn’t an outdoors person, and Taggert accepted that. His bare minimalist cabin would always hold a special place in her heart, however, that’s the only place she wished to see it. But Kalin regretted the distance she created between them in the past few days. Showing up for an impromptu dinner in the middle of the centaur forest would probably make up for that. At least, she was hoping that it would because she did not appreciate this mud on her shoes. Kalin inhaled deeply as she stared at the wooden structure. Light shone through the windows, letting her know that he was already inside. As she walked up the narrow pathway, she heard the creaking sound of the door opening.

“Are you just going to stand there, or would you like to come inside?” Taggert asked with a smile as he leaned against door frame.

“I hope you realize how much I do not care to come all the way out here,” she complained as her flat shoes padded across the ground. Taggert walked out toward her with one of his hands stretched out for her. “This better be the most amazing meal that I have ever eaten.”

Taggert pulled her against his chest. “I promise you are going to love everything about tonight.”

“Does that mean there’s that alfredo stuff here?” she asked as she eagerly looked up at him.

“What?” he asked confused. Taggert shook his head to clear out her odd sentence. “No, none of whatever it is you just said.” He gently pushed her ahead of him. “Queens first.”

“Always,” Kalin said with a wink as she walked toward the cabin with him following closely behind. “Are you going to tell me the reason behind this excursion you sent me on or is it going to be a surpri-”

Kalin’s words died on her lips when she walked into the cabin and noticed her surroundings.

“Well, you definitely cleaned this place up,” she whispered as she gawked at the room. The cabin was cleared of the normal brush and dirt that she remembered. Tall pillar candles floated around the room as flower petals and vases filled with tulips were scattered on the floor. In the middle of the room was a wooden table that had two place settings.

Kalin jumped a bit when she felt his arms wrap around her.

“I don’t have any of Sarah’s fanciful Aboveground food,” Taggert whispered into her ear. “But I’m sure I made everything to your liking.”

“You made dinner? By yourself?” Kalin asked, turning in his arms. “Are you able to cook anything more than roasted boar on a spigot?”

“You are oh so humorous, _Mo mhuirnín_ ,” he responded as he rolled his eyes. “Get inside before the food gets cold.”

* * *

 “Ow! Dammit!” Toby yelled.

“Language, Tobias,” Jareth said as he smiled down at the young teenager.

“This isn’t fun,” he whined.

“I never said this would be,” Jareth said. “If I remember correctly, I did warn you about this. A paper cut isn’t a death sentence. Now, hold up the cards again.”

“Can’t you just hold these up with magic or something?” Toby asked as he held up two different colored cards, a silver card and a blue card.

“I think I prefer the blue,” Jareth answered. “After all this planning, one would think that I would be able to do this quickly.”

“Weren’t you supposed to do all of these weeks ago?” Toby muttered as he wrote the selection down on a sheet of paper.

“I can hear you,” Jareth said as he sank further into his chair. “I don’t need to hear your disdain at any point during this process.”

“When is this Goblin ceremony anyway?” Toby asked.

“You’re making this sound very formal,” Jareth scoffed. “Sarah will simply say a few words, and then everyone will drink ale until they can’t remember why they are there.”

“I can’t decide which is worse: planning this ceremony or the wedding,” Toby wondered aloud.

“Lucky enough for you that is not something you need to worry your little head over,” Jareth smirked. “The faster I get this done the sooner I can get Avitus off my back.”

Toby looked up at Jareth with a quizzical furrowing of his brows. “I wonder… Is his hair naturally purple?”

“Wha-?”

“No more hiding out here,” Sarah said as she entered the room. “You can’t stay in here all day. We have to meet Brennus for dinner in about ten minutes. Hold on, what’s happening here?”

“Jareth wants me to help him with planning this Goblin ceremony,” Toby said. “This is so boring.”

“More boring than working for Cormac?” Jareth asked. Toby said nothing as he stared at ground.

“You told me you had this part planned out a few months ago?” Sarah said accusingly. “How far behind are you?”

“The general outline was planned, but Avitus decided I needed to actually have specifics planned out,” Jareth answered with a shrug.

“I- Let’s just go,” Sarah groaned after rolling her eyes.

“Fair enough,” he said as he stood from his chair. Jareth created a crystal and gazed into for a moment.

Toby quickly stood up. “No wait. I hate traveling by cry-”Jareth tossed the orb, and suddenly, the teenager was gone.

“Too bad,” he smirked. Jareth turned to an unamused appearing Sarah. “You said that we’re going to have dinner?”

* * *

 “I must say this meal was fabulous,” Kalin said as she sipped her after meal tea. “Of course, I should wait a few days before saying anything definitive. I might get food poisoning from your cooking.”

Taggert stood and grabbed her plate before walking to a basin against the wall to place the plates in.

“You are full of wit today, have I told you that?” he said as he sat back down at the table across from her and poured his own cup of tea. “Do you need more tea?”

“I don’t think so,” she answered. “Besides, I’m nearly finished, and you still haven’t told me why you are doing all of this.” Kalin tipped her head back, ensuring she got every last drop. This was a horrible habit that she has developed by hanging around the centaurs.

Taggert placed an elbow on the table as he rested his head in his hand. “I love you,” he proclaimed as he gazed at her from across the table.

Kalin was taken aback, not by the words, but how out of nowhere it came, especially how odd he was acting in the last few minutes. Cocking her head to the side, she eyed with amused suspicion.

“I love you too,” Kalin replied. “You know, maybe I could go for some more tea, maybe-” She looked down into her cup, causing her to lose her words- again. Kalin opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She looked up at Taggert to see his wide grin before looking back down at her now empty cup. Kalin needed to ensure she was seeing things correctly. Inside her cup were written the words _Will You Marry Me?_

Kalin flinched as she felt cold metal being draped around her neck. She looked to the side to see that Taggert was placing an ornate chain around her neck. When he was finished fastening the necklace, he stood next to her and placed a box on the table in front of her. A box Kalin had seen before.

Her mouth dropped. “That box…”

“I would never do anything to hurt you,” Taggert swore, taking her hand in his and placed a kiss on her palm. “I attempted to make my own necklace, but my metalworking abilities are fraught, and I’m putting that lightly. Gwendoline pointed me to a jeweler who she loves to frequent. I only wanted to make something special for you, and you are not easy to surprise.”

“I’m not a fan of surprises,” Kalin said with a mask of poise that showed she was holding back a torrent of emotions. “I never know how to act when I’m surprised.”

“Are you going to answer my question?” he asked.

“Are you going to ask me properly?” she retorted causing Taggert to laugh.

* * *

 “My apologies, Your Majesty,” Brennus said as soon as Sarah walked through the door to the dining hall. He swiftly walked toward her and Jareth before stopping before her to give her a bow.

“For what?” Sarah asked as he stood up straight.

“For delaying our meeting today,” Brennus explained. “I must admit that I occasionally become overwhelmed by everything.”

“That’s completely understandable,” she said, reassuring him. “Please, don’t freak out on my behalf.”

Brennus was a tall fae with dark brown hair that was cut close to his head, a rarity among faes. His eyebrows were as strong as his build, evident through his billowy shirt. His anxious demeanor was peculiar when juxtaposed against his physique.

“If there is one person who I should stress over, it should be you,” he responded with an anxious smile. “And His Majesty, of course. I’ve heard many things about you.”

“Nothing to kind, I hope,” Jareth said as he adjusted the gloves on his hands. “I would hate to be perceived as dull.”

“Who’s that?” Sarah asked as she gestured to the elf behind Brennus. She noticed the moment they walked into the room but realized that Brennus forgot to introduce the stranger.

“Dammit,” Brennus whispered to himself. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. My manners are in complete disarray.” He motioned for the elf to join him at his side. “This is Eghan, Your Majesty. My partner.” With a build similar to Brennus, Eghan kept his white hair shoulder length.

“Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesties,” Eghan said as bowed to both of them. “I was starting to feel forgetting while off to the side.”

“These pleasantries are lovely,” Jareth said as he eyed the dining table. “However, we can continue all of this while eating, yes?”

* * *

 Lochlan’s osprey form flew low as he glided through the middle of a forest canopy. For the past two weeks, he had barely slept, only the occasional nap a few days between. He didn’t miss sleep, afraid of the dreams he would have. His wondering mind and his general duties filled the time. While he was fulfilling his obligations, his mind was always preoccupied with recalling his last encounter with Tali. He hasn’t felt this type of emptiness in a long time, and it wasn’t a feeling he ever wanted to experience again. However, he had yet to figure out a way to speak to her without telling her how foolish she was to think that his feelings for her were superficial or without telling her how much she meant to him. Lochlan may not be completely cold, but he wasn’t comfortable with baring himself completely, even to the half-elf that he deeply loves.

Lochlan stopped on a tree branch on the edge of the Unseelie Forrest and Seelie Court flat lands. Before his musings could draw him even further from his present surroundings, he noticed a frantic running being out of the corner of his eye. The creature was about to make a grave mistake and cross over into the forest. Either this creature was insanely stupid or insanely brave.

_Might be both,_ Lochlan speculated.

Lochlan materialized in front of the runner.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

* * *

 “I don’t remember ever seeing you before,” Sarah said to Eghan as the servants placed their food in front of them.

“I wouldn’t expect you to, Your Majesty,” he answered with a shy smile. “I try not to make much of a seen.”

“But I didn’t see you at either coronation,” she pointed out. When his eyes widened in confusion, she clarified, “I’m good with faces, and I don’t remember yours.”

“A lot has occurred in the Court,” Eghan explained. “Plus, with the King’s illness… My new arrival would just be a distraction from those events. We have time; there’s no rush.”

“How long have you two been together?” Jareth asked, shocking Sarah with his interest in anything other than his food.

“Fifty years,” Brennus answered with a grin.

“That’s a long courtship,” Sarah mused.

“I have asked,” Brennus said, anticipating Sarah’s question. “He keeps telling me no.”

“You’re father has been ill for as long as I’ve known you,” Eghan defended. “And with Oberon- There was no place for any celebration in that.”

“But my father wishes to see a wedding before he passes,” Brennus told Sarah. “I sent a requested to the Palace regarding this about two days ago.”

“I’m sure I’ll receive the summons soon,” Sarah said as she shot Jareth’s a look.

“I’m sure your _secretary_ will find and send it to you as soon as he receives it,” Jareth answered with a low growl. Brennus and Eghan both looked back and forth between Jareth and Sarah.

“Anyway,” Sarah said as though nothing odd occurred. “You shouldn’t spend all your time out here. If you feel overwhelmed with anything, feel free to come see me at the Palace. All the other rulers do.”

“I’m sorry, You Majesty,” Brennus said. “I know how overwhelming it can be taking over a new position; I didn’t want to impose any more on your schedule.”

“As Queen of the Court, I think it’s my job to be imposed upon,” Sarah countered as she had a sip of wine. “At least, it seems that way.”

A loud banging on the door caused everyone to turn their heads toward the main door.

“Enter,” Brennus called out, even though it came out more of a question than a command.

In the room walked a troubled looking Garrison next to him was someone who looked vaguely familiar to Sarah.

_Isn’t he a guard?_ She thought to herself.

“What’s wrong?” Sarah calmly asked.

“We might have run into a small problem,” Garrison huffed out.

“Who the hell is this?” Jareth asked as he stood from his chair.

The previously silent unkempt fae turned his attention to the Goblin King.

“Name’s Odhran.”

 

 


	21. Chapter 21

_There's no reason for it_

_You've gotta go sometime_

* * *

Lochlan materialized in front of the runner.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Move out of my way," the fae huffed as he moved around Lochlan as the leaden feeling in his legs intensified. "I have to- I have to… keep… going." He dropped to the ground no more than ten feet away from the Unseelie King.

"No need to be so dramatic," Lochlan said, rolling his eyes. He turned his full attention to the fae whose prone body remained unmoved from the ground, his breathing shallow. Lochlan cocked his head to the side as he considered this odd occurrence. "What is all this about?" he wondered aloud as he approached the figure. Lochlan kicked the fae's shoulder, allowing him to roll on his back.

Lochlan inhaled in surprise as he saw the fae in front of him. "What in the bloody hell happened to you?"

* * *

 _Odhran, Odhran, Odhran…_ Sarah's mind raced as she motioned for Jareth to sit back down. Her eyes widen when she finally recognized the fae.

"Brennus. Eghan," Sarah stated evenly as she sat in her seat. "I apologize that this lovely meal you had planned must be cut short, but I need a moment alone with my commander and his, uh, guest."

"Very much understandable," Brennus said as he and Eghan stood up and walked toward the door, more than willing to not be in the way. "I'll ensure everyone knows to stay away from this area of the castle in order to maintain your privacy."

Brennus and Eghan quickly left the room, leaving the four of them alone in the dining hall.

Garrison snatched Odhran by his collar, pushing him to the side to make way for the Acting Troll King.

"Ow!" Odhran yelled in protested. Garrison gave him a shove in his shoulder in response.

"Been living like an animal for so long that you've forgotten to make way for those above you station," Garrison hissed.

"Saying I lived like an animal is a bit harsh," Odhran replied, defending himself. "I'll have you know that I bathed every day."

"Enough of this petty bullshit," Sarah growled, quieting them both and earning an amused smirked from Jareth. She leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table as she glared at them. "Something obviously went wrong. What happened here? Where's Brexton?"

Odhran looked down at the floor as he exhaled deeply before turning his attention to the Seelie Queen. "May I sit down?"

"No," Jareth hastily answered as he leaned back in his chair. "Either you tell us your story, or we can have someone escort you to a jail."

"Fair enough," Odhran shrugged. "Where to start?"

"I heard the beginning is always a good place to start," Sarah responded.

* * *

"Where did you come from?" Lochlan questioned as he knelt near the prone body.

"I-I ran. C-C-Can't use m-m-magic," he answered as his eyes rolled back in his head before staring straight at the sky. His head lulled to the side, and that's when Lochlan noticed something peculiar slowly crawling up his neck.

Lochlan slapped the ailing fae in the face. "Don't die on me yet," he demanded.

The fae released a volley of wet coughs before turning into heavy wheezy.

"Those marks- I know those marks," Lochlan mused. "Are you able to tell me your name?"

"B-Brexton," he answered before taking a large gulp. "R-R-Royal G-G-Guard for H-Her Majesty the Qu-Queen."

"Even in the amount of pain that you're in, you still have to be proper," Lochlan noted. "I would take you to my healer, but he'll probably be more entertained by your pain than help you. I suppose that means I have to go out of my way to help you."

Brexton said nothing as the wheezing in his breath began to intensify.

"Well, damn," Lochlan muttered.

* * *

"Yesterday, or maybe it was two days ago," Odhran said as he rubbed his brows with his hand. "It's easy to lose track of time out of there. Nevertheless, Sawyer became suspicious that he had a traitor within the group. Although, it's unfair to call him suspicious since he was right. It would be wrong to consider him crazy regarding that…"

"Enough with the psychoanalysis," Garrison interjected. "What happened?"

"I'm certain Sawyer didn't figure us out ahead of time," Odhran pondered as he exhaled deeply. "I believe Sawyer was simply lucky. Roux started with Brexton and ended with him as well. As a means of garnering a confession, Sawyer cut the poor fae all over his body and poured some of that poison mixed with iron into his wounds. I remember thinking Roux was a genius for inventing that concoction."

A muscle in Jareth's jaw jumped as he remembered seeing that effects of that substance harmful effect on his brother and the scars he will always carry with him.

"Is he still alive?" Sarah asked with worry in her voice.

"Maybe," Odhran replied as a frown marred his face. "I'm not quite sure where he is?"

"What do you mean by that?" she countered, finding little use of Odhran's obfuscations. "How do you now know?"

"Sawyer didn't know he was the mole; he just started with Brexton because he was the youngest," Odrhan explained, continuing his story. "Even if Brexton didn't tell us he was new to the Palace Guard, any one of us could sniff a newbie out immediately. Sawyer thought that Brexton was weak- that if he knew something that he would tell."

"After all that, he still said nothing?" Jareth said in disbelief.

"No, but I did," Odhran admitted. He could tell that Garrison was about to say something. Before anyone could cut him off, Odhran continued, "He's a bloody kid, Garrison. I didn't know if he could be cured, but I just wanted his pain to stop, for his screaming to stop. He wasn't going to admit to anything; so, I did. But that made Sawyer and everyone else to be furious with him _and_ me. By the way, I'm going to need to get this fixed."

Odhran lifted up his right trouser that previously covered his leg to reveal severe burns along his limb that exposed his muscles and bones. The exposed white bone sat in extreme contrast to the frayed and tattered muscles.

"Shit!" Jareth hissed.

"Sit down immediately!" Sarah ordered. "How have been standing this entire time?"

Garrison quickly grabbed a chair from the dining table for Odhran.

"Through sheer will and my burdensome guilt," Odhran answered. "Also, I was ordered to keep standing."

"Send for a healer," Sarah ordered Garrison. "I don't know where they are."

"I shouldn't leave you alone with him," Garrison responded.

Odhran snorted. "Yes. I'm definitely in the mood to fuck up my life more."

Without warning, the doors to the dining hall banged open causing a tense Sarah to stand up.

"What now?" Jareth snarled before lifting his head to the new distraction. "Lochlan?"

"While my natural reaction would be to allow this creature to die a horrible death and be feasted upon by an Unseelie," Lochlan grunted as he held a sagging figure against him. "This conscious thing got on my nerves, and I decided I should give him to you. Where's Tali?"

"Why do you need Tali?" Sarah asked. "And who is this?" The fae hanging off Lochlan was so battered and disheveled that he was unrecognizable.

"Brexton?" Odhran asked as he tried to see the fae face but was obscured due to his head facing the floor.

"She's the only who we know has done anything like this," Lochlan said. He carefully- according to his standards- dropped the injured fae on the ground.

"She's in the Goblin Kingdom, the castle to be exact," Jareth said to Garrison. "Go find her. Now!"

Without another word, Garrison disappeared from view. Odhran awkwardly tumbled out of his chair to approach the prone figure.

"He's barely breathing," Odhran gulped as he tore Brexton's shirt in order to examine the damage the poison has done to his body. "The iron is close to his heart."

A moment later he was joined by a kneeling Sarah who nearly became sick at the sight. She didn't know whether her reaction was partly due to her pregnancy, but seeing her guard in such a state was hard to take in. Sarah reached out a hand to touch Brexton but was grabbed and dragged away from the ailing fae by an indignant Goblin King.

"Were you about to touch his wounds?" Jareth inquired, anticipating her words of protest. "You don't know if the poison and iron are able to leak out of his body. You might be putting yourself and _them_ at risk."

"I…I wasn't thinking," she said apologetically, as her hands briefly touched her stomach. Sarah turned her attention back to the pair on the ground. "What did you say about his heart?"

"If it reaches his heart, there's no stopping the iron from moving unabated throughout the body," Odhran explained, his eyes not leaving Brexton. "I don't know if anything can save him by then."

"Lochlan, where did you find him?" Jareth asked.

"Running through my lands," he replied with a shrug. "As people do."

"How did you two get separated?" Jareth asked a mourning Odhran."

Garrison appeared in the room with Tali by his side.

Although a tragic event was occurring in front of all of them, Lochlan couldn't help the feeling of a sharp tightness in his heart at the sight of the half-elf. It had been such a long time since he had seen her.

"Move!" Tali ordered as she marched over to Brexton, shoving Odhran away.

"C'mon," Garrison murmured as he helped Odhran up on his feet. "We need to get you to a healer. She's going to be busy."

Before the two left the room, Odhran turned back to see Tali kneeling over Brexton's body.

"I'm sorry," Odhran whispered before he was escorted away.

Tali pulled her hair back to tie it into a ponytail before she began to assess the injuries.

"I don't even know where to start," Tali said mostly to herself.

"Do you need any help?" Lochlan asked as he stood next to Brexton across from her.

Tali lifted her head and gave him a quick smile. "Sorry to ruin everyone's meal, but I need him on the table- and better lighting."

Jareth magically removed all the dinner plates to the floor before levitating Brexton to the table as Sarah created a large orb of light that floated above the prone victim. Tali's hand hovered over his body starting at his head and making their way down to his feet.

Jareth stood next to Sarah and before he could say a word, she said, "Don't even suggest that I leave." Sarah's eyes scanned over every visible wound on his body. "This plan was my idea; I got him into this. All of this is my fault."

"Listen to me," Jareth stated as he turned her toward him. "He knew the potential consequences when he agreed to do this. You didn't make him take this assignment."

"I doubt he anticipated that this would happen," Sarah countered. "This- This seems worse than death."

"Enough with your emoting," Lochlan spat even though his eyes where trained on Tali. "You can deal with your regrets later."

"Thanks," Tali whispered to the Unseelie King. "I was getting distracted." She looked over his torso again. "Whoever did this wanted him dead but wanted to ensure he suffered a long time before he expired. What a sick bastard."

"What makes you say that?" Lochlan inquired.

"You can see where the poison was introduced into his body," she muttered quickly. "There's only two cuts near his neck; the rest are all over his legs."

"Can you save him?" Sarah blurted out.

"I don't know," Tali proclaimed without taking her eyes off of Brexton. "But I can try. I'll do my best to heal him."

"I realize that you want to stay here," Jareth whispered into Sarah's ear. "But staying here is only going to be a distraction. Sawyer is still out there, and now is the time to contemplate a way of catching him."

Sarah was quite for a moment before turning to Jareth. "You have a point. Okay. I need a place to think," she said quietly as she looked over at Tali. "Are you going to be okay in here? Should I send a healer?"

"I'll be fine," Tali answered quickly. "Wait! If there is a free healer, send them here. Another opinion won't hurt."

Before Sarah and Jareth left the room, he turned to Lochlan and asked, "Planning to stay?"

"Yes," Lochlan answered as he kept his eyes on the half-elf.

When the two of them left, Tali placed her hands above Brexton's abdomen as her fingers began to glow bright blue. Lochlan saw her struggling to move her hovering hands over Brexton's chest. "There's a lot more iron in his body than there was in yours." Lochlan saw the black veins in his chest slowly move away toward his lower abdomen. Tali briefly looked at Brexton's face before returning her attention to trying to remove the poison from his chest.

"Who did this to you?"

* * *

Roux flinched as witnessed Sawyer destroy what was left of their now deserted camp.

"You accomplish nothing with your fits of rage," Roux muttered as Sawyer threw a large rock at the tipped over cauldron, which still contained a bit of yesterday's soup. "Throwing a fit never did a bit of good."

"I will throw a fit if I damn well please!" Sawyer yelled. He let out a final huff before dropping to the ground with a thud near the only other being in that camp. "How the hell did all this go wrong? And where did everyone go!"

"Away," Roux cheekily answered. "Somewhere that's not here- probably scared the shit out of them when you nearly pumped that traitor's body full of iron."

"Are you finished?" Sawyer dryly asked.

Roux shrugged. "So, what are you planning to do now?"

"I don't know," Sawyer admitted. "Neither one of us has the freedom of anonymity. I'm sure the guards of every kingdom know who I am."

"Seriously considering abandoning your goal?" Roux asked, a bit surprised by the thought.

"No. Of course not," Sawyer replied. "I'm just thinking things through."

"Well," Roux said. "It's just the two of us- hence, we don't have the luxury of an ambush of any kind."

"I believe my main problem is I wanted everyone to feel a part of the cause," Sawyer mused. "The next plan needs to be meaningful- and actually bloody work."

"Especially since it might be our last," Roux added. At Sawyer nasty look, Roux clarified. "The chances of us getting caught are high since it is just us. So what's the plan?"

Sawyer scratched his chin as he mulled over his thoughts. "I remember after Eoran and Odhran brought Sarah back to the Underground how odd they found her insistence that she see those humans again. Now that I think about it: she would frequently bring up the subject to Oberon."

Roux's face contorted in disgust. "Are you suggesting that we go Aboveground?"

Sawyer gave him a small smirk. "Only for a short while."

* * *

As they approached the Troll Kingdom's library, Jareth noticed Sarah walking faster to the door.

"I assume you just created a plan," Jareth said as he quickly caught up with her. "Or are you in the mood for late night reading?"

Sarah reached out her hand for the door but turned around to face him before entering.

"I have a plan," she said. "Although the last one I had wasn't very good."

"Sarah…"

"We can discuss whether I'm wrong or not later," Sarah interrupted. "But right now, I need you to go get Toby and Taggert." When he gave her a confused look, she sighed. "Please, go get them. I need a quiet place to write everything down before I forget."

* * *

"Tali," Lochlan called her name softly. She didn't respond as she continued to focus her magical energy on trying to transfer the iron poison out of Brexton's chest. Tali decided that she would worry about extracting the substance later since she discovered she couldn't do such a thing at the moment. Her main priority was to simply keep the material away from his heart.

"Tali," Lochlan said again, this time with more force. Still no response from the half-elf. "Tali!"

"What!" she barked back as she lifted her head to see the Unseelie King standing near the door with a very apprehensive elf. "Oh," Tali sighed as she realized that he brought help. "Sorry about that."

"I brought the healer you requested," Lochlan said. "This is Trinket"

The healer shot Lochlan a look. "Tristen, and I don't know how much help I can be," the elf said quickly. "I didn't even know someone could move iron from a fae, let alone remove it."

"I didn't either until a few weeks ago," Tali replied as she continued to ghost her hands over Brexton's chest. Suddenly, the ailing fae's eyes opened wide as he gained consciousness, releasing a blood curdling scream. The sudden outburst caused Tali to fall on the ground in surprise. Tristen rushed over to the now convulsing Brexton while Lochlan helped Tali to her feet.

"What's happening to him?" Tristen asked as he tried to silence Brexton and stop his thrashing. Lochlan calmly walked over the side of the table where Brexton's head was positioned. He pressed his fingers to the sick fae which caused the flaying and screaming to cease.

"Did you put him to sleep?" Tristen asked accusatorily as he glared at the Unseelie King. "He woke up for a reason; you can't simply knock him out without us knowing how he awoke."

"I do as I please, cretin," Lochlan barked, not appreciating the tone of this underling.

"Both of you: stop," Tali exhaled as she rubbed her hands over her face. "He was in too much pain to do anything except scream."

Not caring about how petty he was being, Lochlan gave the healer an overly proud look. Tristen let out a huff as he hid his contempt for the Unseelie King.

Tali held back a sob as she peered over to Brexton's naked chest. The black veins that were previously held at bay by her magic began their ascent back toward his heart.

"Shit."

* * *

"You can't make me!" Toby protested.

"Don't resort to such juvenile arguments," Jareth said as he sat next to Sarah on a couch. Toby stood in front of them, visibly upset with what the information he heard.

"Where's Taggert?" Sarah mumbled as she looked at her wrist, for a watch that wasn't there.

"He said he would be here as soon as he could," Jareth replied. "He seemed to be a bit preoccupied when I saw him."

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, not understanding what he meant.

"Hello! Back to me," Toby exclaimed. "I object to this plan."

"It's not a _plan_. Your fun time here is over," Sarah responded. "You're going back Aboveground. No arguments."

Toby tried to protest. "But…"

"What part of 'no arguments' do you not understand?" Sarah sternly interrupted. A hurt look crossed Toby's face. Sarah exhaled deeply as she stood up from the couch. "It's too dangerous down here for you."

"But Jareth said that this place was inherently dangerous a few weeks ago," Toby countered.

"And it's even more so now," Sarah retorted. "If something happened to you here, and I knew I didn't do everything I could to keep you safe, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. And Aboveground is where will be safe."

Toby's scowl deepened, but he didn't try to argue.

"Besides," Jareth chimed in. "Your planning days have now come to an end."

"Just when I was starting to enjoy it," Toby muttered. "Avitus and Tali have the best stories."

"This isn't forever," Sarah reassured him as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "But I want you to be safe. At least, allow me to have peace of mind."

"Also, we're no longer interested in having humans around us," Jareth smirked. "You have a peculiar odor. I don't care for it."

"Very funny," Toby said as a small smile formed across his mouth. "So, how does this work? Do I have to go through another portal or something? Can you take me to one where some elf is not trying to kill me?"

Jareth stood up from the couch as he held out his hand. With the twist of his wrist, he formed a crystal in his gloved hand. "No need for such contrivances," Jareth said as he tossed the orb at Toby, causing him to disappear.

"And then there were two," Sarah said quietly.

"You made the correct decision," Jareth reassured her. However, those words didn't change the unhappy expression on her face.

"I know," she concurred. "Thank you for send him back; I would have changed my mind if I had to tell him goodbye."

Jareth held her close in an embrace. "Like you said," he stated before placing a kiss on her forehead. "As soon as everything calms down, he can return. Now, where's that bloody centaur."

* * *

"Toby?" asked the distant sounding voice. Everything around Toby was black, and his head felt like it was filled with water.

"Toby!" The voice sounded sharper and closer in proximity. The fogginess in his brain began to clear as he felt his eyes struggling to open.

"Tobias Robert Williams!"

Suddenly, Toby's eyes opened wide. He noticed immediately that he was lying down on the floor of his bedroom; his mother's voice came through loud and clear.

"Where do I even start?" Karen asked as she walked into his room. "We bought you a bed. Why would you even want to sleep on the floor? And if you wanted to take a nap, why not sleep in your pajamas?"

Toby slowly rolled over on his back, allowing him to face his mother. "Huh?"

Karen shook her head in disappointment. "Do you want to go to this movie or not? I told you that we bought these tickets days ago. You have ten minutes to meet us downstairs," she ordered as she left his room in a huff.

Toby looked around to see that he was in fact on the ground, his bed untouched, and he was definitely back in his jeans and t-shirt. Toby crawled over to his computer and turned it on. His dad was right: he did need a proper clock in his room. When his computer became fully operational, he checked the time stamp in the corner of the screen.

"Wait? What?" he said to himself.

"Five minutes!" Robert's voice cried up from downstairs. Toby scrambled to his feet and quickly left his room. His parents were waiting by the front door. He stood before them with a confused look on his face, which in turn caused his parents to appear confused as well.

"Are you all right Toby?" Robert asked.

"Why am I not at camp? Toby questioned. "I'm supposed to be there until the end of August. It's only the second day of August."

His mother and father both formed a frown as they gave each other a quizzical look.

"Did you fall off the bed and hurt your head?" Karen asked as she placed her hands on his head, gently messaging it for any bumps.

"Are you sure you're okay, Toby?" Robert asked again. "We don't have to go anywhere if you're not feeling well again."

"Again?" Toby asked as he moved away from his mother's ministrations. "And I didn't bump my head. At least, I don't think I did."

"I'm calling the doctor," Karen said as she spun around to walk toward the living room.

"Don't call a doctor!" Toby protested. He turned his attention to his worried father. "I'm fine. I swear. I just don't understand why I'm still not at camp. I have like three weeks left."

"You kept having fainting spells for a few days after a bike ride there," Robert explained. "So, we brought you home. You've spent the last few weeks back sleeping and playing video games." When Toby's face still portrayed confusion, Robert started to become worried. "Do you not remember any of this?"

Toby shook his head, trying to clear his mind. "Uh, yeah. Kinda. Maybe I did bump my head when I fell."

"I'm calling the doctor anyway!" Karen shouted.

"Don't call the doctor!" Toby and Robert both yelled.

* * *

"I have no problem with putting your visit of my kingdom on hold," Taggert said.

"I forgot to bring up something else," Sarah said, clearing her throat. "Would you consider a small addition to your plan?"

"Like what?" Taggert asked.

"It's going to involve Lochlan," Sarah answered.

Jareth was unable to hold back his shock. "What the hell for?"

"There's no point in allowing the Court to know that Sawyer is out there, somewhere, without showing that we are serious about catching him," Sarah reasoned.

"So, you want Lochlan's Unseelie to search my kingdom?" Taggert guessed.

"And the Troll Kingdom, yes," she amended. Both Jareth and Taggert gave her a wary look. "That's the last known area he was in, somewhere between the Troll and Centaur forests. So, why not? Lochlan's people like to hunt." Jareth still looked unsure. "I'm not talking about a sluagh. I'm referring to the dark faes and elves. Tell all the Seelies to stay inside during this time and, hopefully, they can find him. This step could also solidify the fact that the Unseelies are not a threat- that they're willing to help us."

Taggert gave a slow nod. "I like this plan."

"Are you being serious?" Jareth countered turning between Sarah and Taggert, not knowing which one was being more absurd. "Do you realize that you are agreeing to allow Unseelies on your land?"

"Of course," Taggert said with a sly smile. "I planned to allow you in my kingdom. Although, I'm not sure you can be trusted. You know, being Unseelie and all. You're a shifty one."

"You roan bastard," Jareth sneered.

"Enough, both of you," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "Right now, I need Garrison."

* * *

"Gah! Dammit!" Odhran seethed as the healer picked up his leg for analysis. "That fucking hurts!"

"It's the least you deserve," Garrison replied as he shoved Odhran's shoulders down so he would fully lie on the bed.

"I know, all right," Odhran muttered. The healer pulled up a stool next to Odhran's leg and sat down and placed his hands above the mangled leg.

"No, it is not all right!" Garrison refuted as he banged his fist again the adjacent table.

"Shh!" The healer hissed. "I can't concentrate. If you can't keep your voice down, then you can leave."

"Sorry," Garrison sheepishly replied before turning a disdainful glare to Odhran. "You of all people should know better."

"We all should have known better," Odhran countered.

"Don't even try to weasel your way out of this," Garrison said as he kept his voice low.

"I'm not!" Odhran yelled.

"Stop yelling," the healer warned.

"I'm not," Odhran said again, this time in hushed tones. "I'm very much aware that I will be thrown in a cell for a millennium or two."

Garrison closed his hand into a fist, shaking it slowly, while releasing a low growl.

"I told you," Garrison began, trying to keep his voice low. "No. I _warned_ you to walk away from Sawyer. Were you just bored? Did you need some sort of raise so you would have more money to spend at the gambling hall?

Odhran refused to respond as the healer continued to work on his leg.

However, Garrison didn't' relent in his admonishment of his former guard. "You've helped bring harm to the very subjects you swore to protect, thereby allowing, not your hate, but your stubbornness to cloud your judgment."

Odhran snorted. "You believe that stubbornness led me to do this rather than hate?" he asked before releasing a loud hiss of pain. Odhran's leg lurched in response to the healer's magic.

"Do you really believe that you, Sawyer, Eoran, Roux, Erick, or the any of the others were the only ones within the Guard, damn, a sizable portion of the Court, who hated the idea of Unseelies walking freely throughout the Palace?"

Odhran's eyes squinted in suspicion. "Are you telling me that you hate them as much as Sawyer did?"

"I don't know what the hell Sawyer is thinking," Garrison hissed. "But you were a fool to think that I and the other guards felt otherwise."

"Then why…"

"Because it's our job to do as ordered," Garrison answered sternly. He rubbed his eyes while releasing a tired sigh. "If you would have just waited, if you would have just allowed the death of Oberon to pass and move on. He wasn't the type of king who deserve this much of your loyalty, especially after he has passed."

"So what are you trying to say? You buddies with the Goblin King now?" Odhran asked ruefully.

"He saved our Queen," Garrison stated. "He and his brother. Like I said: if you would have simply allowed yourself the time to get over your feelings… The Court didn't blindly accept the Goblin King, but what he did proved that he was unworthy of everyone's disdain. And in time, you too would have found your hatred toward them to dissipate into mild annoyance."

"What an odd world we live in," Odhran mused. "Considering the Unseelie King a mild annoyance."

"No, Jareth is mildly annoying," Garrison corrected. "Lochlan is unbelievably annoying, but, at least, Her Majesty agrees as well."

Odhran turned his head to the side as he gazed at the ground. "So, when will you be taking me to prison?"

"As soon as the healer says you should stand on your leg," Garrison replied. "I'll speak on your behalf to Her Majesty to give you a reduced sentence."

"I don't deserve it," Odhran admitted.

"True, but you helped Brexton infiltrate the camp," Garrison pointed out.

"I probably got him killed," Odhran contested.

Garrison walked to the door to leave. "It's less enjoyable to talk to you when you're sulking. You were much more fun to be around when you were in the guard."

"I don't give a shit if you are entertained," Odhran grumbled. "Just let me know if Brexton's makes it."

Garrison's mouth contorted into a scowl as he gave his former guard a somber nod before walking out the door.

* * *

"This isn't working," Tali whispered as she watched Lochlan attempt to remove the poison from Brexton's body. "He's not going to make it."

"Probably not," Lochlan murmured as he continued to try to move the poison from the prone fae's body. Beads of sweat formed on his temple as his magic struggled to move any of the poison. Tristen had been dismissed nearly an hour ago because Lochlan found the healer to be useless. In a last-ditch effort, Lochlan tried to help Brexton, theorizing that Unseelie magic might react differently to the poison. However, he soon found out that his magic was not helping.

Tali walked over and gently grabbed his wrist. "Stop," she muttered with defeat. "Just stop. How many hours has it been? Preventing the spread is probably causing him a lot of pain, even though we can't hear him."

Lochlan took his hands away from the fae to gently cup the half-elf's face. "If you wish to continue your attempts to remove…"

"We can't," she admitted as her eyes focused on Brexton's chest- the black veins again crawling to his heart. "There was too much iron in the poison."

Lochlan dropped his hands and took a step back from her. "What do you propose we do now?"

"I don't know, but once it reaches his heart- whether or not he's conscious- he's going to be in incredible pain," Tali said, her eyes unmoving from the prone fae's body. "There's no uncertainty about that. Iron always kills viciously."

"Turn around," he ordered.

"Why?" she asked. Lochlan walked over to the ill fae's head, his hands grabbing the sides of Brexton's face. Tali's large blue eyes grew wide. "What are you doing?"

"I said to turn around," Lochlan stated. "He shouldn't have to suffer anymore." Tali continued to stare at his hands positioned next to Brexton's face. "Tali," Lochlan repeated, this time as a warning. She spun around, allowing her to gaze out the window at the night sky.

Tali tried to calm her breathing but failed as she began to breathe deeply.

The sound of bones breaking filled the air causing Tali to release a loud sob. She brought her hand to her mouth, attempting to hold back the tears. A gentle hand reached around her midsection and pulled her back into the consoling king.

"You did all that you could,"Lochlan murmured into her ear. "Remember that."

Tali turned in his arms, rested her head against his chest, and began to cry. "I- I need to ensure his b-b-body is taken to the Palace. His family-"

"I'll ensure he's taken to the Palace," he stated before placing a small kiss on her cheek. Lochlan tilted her head up and noticed her blood shot eyes. "Get some sleep."

The entrance to the dining hall opened, startling them both. They turned their attention to the doors and saw Sarah staring at the table with Taggert, Jareth, and Garrison behind her.

Sarah felt the air leaving her body as her shoulder slumped in despair. "Oh my god," she gasped. Jareth swiftly walked passed her. Producing a large cloak, he carefully draped the body.

"When did he pass?" Jareth asked.

"A few minutes ago," Tali answered with a sniff.

"I'll escort the body to the Palace," Garrison softly offered as he walked toward Brexton's body. "And inform his family."

"Tell them…" Sarah struggled to say. Tears began to form in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. "Tell them- I'll speak with them personally soon."

Garrison gave a swift nod before disappearing with Brexton's body. She stared at the dining table where the deceased fae once lay.

"Sarah, do you need to sit down?" Jareth asked, worry evident in his voice and on his face.

"I'm fine; I'm fine," she responded hastily, reassuring herself more than anyone else. She turned her attention toward the Unseelie King.

One of Lochlan's eyebrows rose in curiosity.

"I need your help," Sarah stated.

* * *

"If you think that staring out the window will bring him back," Jareth said as he walked out of the bathroom. "You'll be wasting a lot of time." Jareth watched her for a moment as she stood in front of a large window in their temporary chambers until he heard the sound of muffled sobbing. He marched over to her, and, without warning, he spun Sarah around and noticed her red, wet eyes.

"Just let me cry," Sarah stated as she pulled away from him.

"I'm not going to tell you not to cry," he said as he tucked a strand of her behind her ear. "Though, I would suggest you continue your bereavement on the bed."

Sarah allowed him to escort her to the bed. "I got him killed."

"You are allowed to have these feelings of sorrow," Jareth said as he gently pushed her to sit on the bed. "But what I won't allow you to do is to punish yourself over this." Sarah looked down at her hands folded in her lap.

"But that was my idea; I got him killed-"

"Sawyer killed him," he responded forcefully. Jareth leaned over to stare into her eyes. "So, mourn Brexton because his life here has passed, but never forget who actually caused his death."

"Yeah, but-"

"For years, you thought the Unseelies were nothing but soulless monsters, yes?" Jareth asked as he stood to his full height. Sarah pursed her lips in confusion since she didn't understand why he was bringing this up.

"Yes?" she answered. "What are you saying?"

"You always believed that one day you would rule the Court with a perceived adversary bordering your lands," he said, moving a few steps back from her. "Did you never believe that you would have to go to war against the Unseelies, that there would always be peace?"

"Sometimes I would think about it, but not often," Sarah admitted. "What's your point?"

"To be a sovereign means people are willing to die for you and sometimes they will," Jareth stated. "You've already seen people go to war…"

"That's different," she countered. "I didn't look them all in the face. I didn't speak to them." Sarah felt the teas begin to form again. "I didn't see their handwriting or see their eagerness to follow what I said."

Jareth produced a handkerchief which she willingly accepted as he sat next to her.

"We will find Sawyer," Jareth said, hoping to comfort her. "He will be found, and he will know the familiarity of a jail ce-"

"I want him dead," Sarah coolly stated. Jareth turned his head to see the cruelty in her eyes.

"I thought you believed everyone deserves second chances," he pointed out. "You previously said you were going to place him in prison."

"And you said some people deserve to die," she countered. "If Sawyer treasured Oberon so much, he can suffer the same fate."

Jareth smirked as he released a small chuckle. "I'm not quite sure how I feel about my influence on you."

"Should have thought about that beforehand," Sarah said as she moved back until she hit the bed's headboard. "Too late now." Her hands drifted to her stomach before resting there.

* * *

Robert release a loud yawn as he brought up the rear as his family entered the house.

"I'm exhausted," he announced. "It is way past my bedtime."

"You're so lame, dad," Toby teased. "It's like nine or something."

"I stand by my original statement: it's past my bedtime," Robert reiterated, locking the door.

"Too tired for some dessert?" Karen asked as she walked toward the kitchen. "I picked a chocolate cake at the bakery today. I can't remember exactly what kind it is."

"Well, I guess I could stay up a little longer," Robert said. "How big of a slice you want, Toby?"

"Half!" Toby yelled as he made his way upstairs. "I'll be right back."

Robert laughed as he moseyed into the kitchen to see Karen taking the cake out of the fridge. "He said he didn't want any."

* * *

Toby hastily walked up the stairs and made a sharp turn toward his room. Walking into his room, he flipped the light on. However, no light appeared.

"What the hell?" Toby muttered as he began to flicker the switch on and off.

"How odd. You don't seem all that important," mused a voice from the corner of his room.

Toby turned around slowly, afraid of what he would find. Before him, stood a creature he certainly knew could be nothing but a fae.

"Who are you? Did my sister send you here?" Toby asked, sounding more like a plea than a question.

"How tragic," the fae in front of Toby said while a sinister smile formed across his lips. "You really believe that you are important to Her Majesty, you irrelevant human."

* * *

"What's taking him so long?" Robert wondered as he cut into his slice of cake.

"He's not going to pass up cake," Karen said. "I'll give him one more minute before I start bothering him."

The sound of furniture crashing stunned Karen and Robert.

"What the hell?" Robert asked as fear rose in him. He leapt from his chair and rushed upstairs as Karen following behind.

"Are you all right!" Karen called out as she ran up the stairs.

"AHH!" Toby screamed.

"Toby!" They both yelled as they arrived as his room. The door was shut, and Robert discovered it was locked.

"Toby!" Robert shouted as he pushed his body into the door.

"How can it be locked?" Karen wailed. "These doors don't have locks."

Finally, with one final push, Robert broke the door open. Toby's room was in disarray. Clothes were thrown all over the floor. His bed was upside down, and his computer was smashed against the wall, completely destroyed. They both looked over to the window which was closed and locked, as it always was.

Karen covered her mouth in horror. "Toby?"

Yet, no one answered. They both walked in and discovered that the room was devoid of anyone.

"I'm calling the police," Robert said before leaving the room to find a phone.

Karen clutched her chest. "Toby!"

 


	22. Chapter 22

_All we need, all we need is hope_  
_And for doubt we have each other_

* * *

 Reule sniffed the air around him as his dark elf hunting party searched the abandoned camp site.

"How long would you say it's been?" A female dark elf asked, approaching him.

"An hour. No more than two," he replied. "Did you see any footsteps?"

"Yeah, I lot of them," she stated as she pointed with her bow in the direction of the trail. "Most of those are heading toward a small town in the Centaur Kingdom."

"If they're wise, they have already gone somewhere else," Reule declared. "But we are allowed to search in Seelie lands so might as well do as much as we can with the time we are given."

"So you just want to go further into the Centaur Kingdom simply because you can?" she asked.

"We'll be doing our jobs, Halla," he quickly said, defending himself. "However if we get to look around while we're here, I see no reason not to."

"Remember: we're supposed to be out of here by sun up," she said.

"That gives us about nine hours," Reule said, watching at his hunting party continue their search. "No reason to waste time. Let's get this going."

* * *

 "What do humans eat?" Roux asked as he glared at the bound and gagged human.

"Food, idiot," Sawyer answered. He kneeled down to remove the cloth in the young boy's mouth.

"Heeeelp!" Toby screamed. Unfortunately, with the twist of Sawyer's wrist, Toby discovered his voice was gone causing him to scowl at the fae. He really hated having his voice taken away.

"First, do you really believe that we would be surrounded by anyone who can hear you?" Sawyer teased. "Second, your screaming isn't appreciated." Toby attempted to kick his leg at Sawyer yet completely missed his captor.

"I was being nice by gagging you. Now, you don't get a voice," he said in an eerily calm manner. Sawyer looked down at the leg that nearly hit him. "Tie up his legs, Roux"

"We don't have time for that," Roux refuted, leaning against a tree. "Haven't you wondered why I didn't come back with any food?"

"I just assumed you were holding it back for a big reveal," Sawyer jested.

"There's a large group of dark elves in the town," he said. "The town is shuttered up. It was too much of a gamble to steal food. And these elves appeared to be purposefully searching for someone, and I think that someone is you."

"Fuck," Sawyer yelled. "Do you think they know we have him?"

"I doubt they would send out one hunting group if they knew that," Roux said. "But we need to move, and we can't go back to the old camp."

"They're up to something- I can feel it," Sawyer said.

Roux let out a snort. "How ironic that you're saying that."

"So you say we should leave," Sawyer said. "Where should we go?"

"We need to find a market by sun up," Roux stated. "I suggest I slip into a small town tomorrow and then start fleshing out this plan of yours."

"I have this figured out," Sawyer said confidently. "No need for your worry."

* * *

 Sitting at a small table, Sarah watched as servants packed her and Jareth's luggage from their temporary quarters at the Troll Kingdom.

"Have the announcements been made?" she asked as Jareth approached her.

"They will be. Later this morning," he answered. "A large portion of your subjects will be out and about in the towns and cities during that time- easier to disseminate information that way."

Sarah heard what he had to say, but her attention was focused on the table were a the paper and medal rested next to her hand.

"If you wish to wait another day to speak to Brexton's fam-"

"No," she interrupted. "I should do this as soon as possible. I'm sure they have been wondering about him for a while. His body is already interned at the Palace. They deserve to know as soon as possible."

Jareth gave her a slow nod. "Are you sure you want to do this alone? I've done my fair share of these."

"Does it get easier?" she asked still staring at the medal.

"No," he brusquely said.

Sarah inhaled deeply before releasing an enormous sigh. "Then I'll go by myself. I should go by myself."

"You should go then," he said offering his hand to her. "I want you in my castle as soon as the announcements are made."

* * *

 The late morning light slipped through the heavy curtains as the Unseelie King held the half-elf close to him as she slept. Several hours have passed since he sat down with Sarah to discuss her plans while Tali had left to her provisional chambers in the Troll castle. A frightened servant escorted him to her room. He had never slept in a castle other than his own since leaving his mother at the age of thirteen. Lochlan needed to speak to Tali, but when he arrived, she was buried underneath her duvet. Talking could wait. Lochlan slipped into her bed and held her against his chest as she cried the night away. Her body was mostly still, and her sniffling had ceased calmed down a bit, letting him know that she had finally found some rest. He kissed the back of her neck as his mind raced with all the possible things he wanted to say. Lochlan found it oddly humorous that he thought of his apology for days yet had no idea how to tell her as much.

"You didn't have to sleep here," Tali groggily said.

"I didn't intend to wake you up," Lochlan whispered. She turned around in his arms before placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Doesn't matter. I could barely sleep," she admitted. "I could barely sleep. I thought you hated sleeping anywhere, but your own chambers."

"This is true," he said with a nod.

"And yet you're here," Tali pointed out.

"Yes, I am here," Lochlan stated.

"Why?"

"I couldn't leave you sobbing alone in an unfamiliar room," he said.

"I don't want you to think that's something you have to do," she countered. "I just needed to cry; I'm not weak."

"I never said you were," Lochlan said.

Silenced stretched between them as neither one of them knew what to say next.

"I missed you," Tali said, taking the dive to speak first.

"I missed you more," he admitted.

"You're the one who sent me away," she reminded him.

"I was a bloody fool for sending you away," Lochlan earnestly said as he climbed on top of her, pinning her wrist on either side of her head. "But you were being foolish as well."

Tali was confused, and that showed on her face. "How?"

"You continue to believe that my numerous acts of devotion are no more than an attempt to keep you underneath me?" he growled in her ear.

"What- What do you mean?" she asked.

"Do you really believe that would I go out of my way to bestow flowers to someone I merely wish to keep in my bed?" Lochlan questioned. His eyes bore into hers as one of his hands cascaded down her shoulder over her collar bone to rest on her stomach. "Or that I present her with soup when she's ill? Or take away hours of my time helping her attempt to cure a dying fae?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"This isn't for fun- as you put it, not for me," he said as he gazed into her eyes. "I'm falling in love with you, and you spoke to me as though I viewed you as a toy- mere distraction. I'm not perfect, but I do know that nothing is more genuine than my feelings for you."

Tali said nothing as she looked to the side before turning her attention back to his eyes.

"Say something," Lochlan insisted.

"You know, several people warned me about you before I agreed to start this," she confessed. "However I didn't care about what they said because I already knew who you were, and I was okay with that. I wasn't interested in changing you."

"Yet, I did change for you," he professed. Tali exhaled as she pushed against his chest, forcing him to lie on his side next to her.

"Don't say that," Tali grumbled. "Because if you did this for me, then one day, you will wake up resenting me- angry over how you were happier before you met me. I never want to see you hating me."

"I've spent a couple of millennium being a certain way," Lochlan said. "Maybe it's time to try something else."

"I thought you hate change?" she questioned.

Lochlan's lips gently touched hers as his hands cupped her face, pulling her close. When he finally pulled away, he gazed into her sparkling blue eyes and found the courage to say what had been on his mind for a while.

"You have become the most treasured thing that somehow found its way into my dreadfully dull life," he said in a purposeful tone. "I love you." One of her hands reached up to caress his face as her mouth split into a huge smile.

"You're so full of surprises," she said before pausing for a moment. "I love you too." Lochlan lowered himself, wanting to kiss her again but was thwarted by her hand on his chest. "Does this mean you'll start saying please and thank you?"

Lochlan scoffed. "Don't be absurd."

"You could give it a try," Tali suggested with a smile.

"That sounds like a dreadful experiment," he said dismissively as he climbed back on top of her. "But for now, you should leave this cesspool and come back home with me."

"This castle is not a cesspool," she laughed, kicking herself for finding such a rude joke humorous. "You have no room to talk considering the state of yours."

Lochlan reluctantly removed himself from the bed. "Get up; I have something to show you."

* * *

 "My deepest regrets for the loss of your son," Sarah solemnly stated as she stood in front of a sobbing mother. "Even though the time I spent with him was limited, I could tell he was wonderful fae, an earnest spirit."

"H-His bo-body is in the Palace?" his mother asked as she dabbed the corners of her eyes. The poor fae tried not to cry in front of the Queen. Brexton's mother appeared to be an older fae especially considering how young Brexton was. Thankfully, she found comfort in that her long grey hair shielded her face.

"Yes," Sarah answered. She was finding that this conversation was more emotionally draining than she previously thought. "You may wish to have a public funeral within the Palace walls with the entire Palace Guard present-that can be done. But if you wish to have a private affair…" She took a deep breath. "We can release the body to you."

"I was lucky; I had four children," the mother explained as she gained her composure, keeping her hands in her lap. "His father and oldest brother died in the first Great War. I have two daughters- his middle sisters. But he wanted to be a Palace guard- just like his brother." She quickly blinked away more tears. "I'm obviously not happy with this outcome, but I know he died doing what he wanted to do, and that was serving the Court and its Queen."

Sarah tried her hardest to keep her poise, but she couldn't stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. The only people in the cottage with her were Brexton's mother and two guards flanking the front door.

"You feel sorrow for the loss of my son?" his mother asked, genuinely shocked by this act.

"Of course," Sarah said clearing her throat after quickly wiping her cheeks. She stood up from her chair. "What sort of monster would I be if I wasn't?"

"Your father," she wryly stated before standing from her sofa. "But you're nothing like him. I heard from all those who lost someone in the last war that you sent personal letters to them all, expressing your remorse."

"It was a pointless war," Sarah said as she brushed lint from her dress. "Someone needed to apologize. Since Oberon was dead, it was on me to do."

"I'm not going to lie," the fae said as she approached Sarah. The guards were about to leave their post, but Sarah held them back. "I was concerned when you took the throne."

"Why?"

"Apples tend to not fall far from the tree," she responded as she gave Sarah a hug. "But I'm glad to see that this time it has. May your rule be long and happy."

Sarah hesitated for a moment before returning her affection. "Thank you," she whispered.

* * *

 Lurias was a small town in the Dwarf kingdom, the last major settlement before hitting the grasslands that bordered the Dwarf and Troll kingdoms. Because of this, the small town's market was in permanent state of chaos during the morning hours. The town criers were rarely ever cried out to the masses as their name suggest since they usually received their information directly from the Palace and merely posted the news on the town's large bulletin.

"Botho, why such a large smile on your face? Some salacious news that's actually official?" a female dwarf who was standing near her stall asked.

"Not quite salacious," the Botho replied. "But exhilarating nonetheless."

A sizeable portion of the market's patrons began to follow the dwarf as he made his way to the town's bulletin. Among the boisterous crowd was a silent, cloaked figure who was hastily buying several loaves of bread and some fruit. He couldn't help but be swept by the curiosity from those around him as he followed the crowd.

"What's the commotion?" someone in the back of the crowd whispered to her companion.

"Big news from the Palace, I assume," he stated with a shrug.

Botho tacked the hefty official scroll to the board. He felt the crowd pushing against him before he properly put it into place.

"Brutes. The lot of you," he grumbled as he smoothed out the proclamation before pushing away for the board, leaving the masses to try to read it for themselves. "You obviously don't need me around."

Botho quickly left the hoard, forgoing his duties of calling attention to the town's bulletin. The way he saw it, if everyone wanted to shove each other to see then they could continue to do so.

"What's it say?" a fae stuck in the middle of the crowd shouted.

Her Majesty The Queen of the Seelie Court is pleased to announce the upcoming nuptials to His Majesty The King of the Goblins. The couple is also delighted to announce to the Court that they are expecting their first child. Both the Queen and King are excited with this news. Her Majesty's tour will temporarily be placed on hold until further notice in preparation for the forthcoming nuptials. The Induction ceremony of the Goblin Kingdom into the Seelie Court will continue however, the event will now be closed to the public. The Queen is currently under the supervision of the Palace healer.

The grumbling in the crowd rose to a steady cry of jubilation and outright gossiping.

The cloaked figure felt tightness in his throat as he swallowed hard.

"Damn."

* * *

 Avitus rarely complained about his King and rarely found anything horrible to say about the Queen of the Seelie Court, but he was tempted to rage to anyone- whether the person was an underling or a passing goblin.

"Move the ceremony up two and a half weeks," he grumbled to know one. "Have it completed in three days, they said." Since Tali was away at the Troll Kingdom, and Toby was sent Above, Avitus had fewer people he felt comfortable expressing his complaints to. He wasn't one to gripe loudly, but that was the only thing he could do as he rushed down the Goblin Castle, occasionally ordering the passing faes, elves, humans, and goblins around.

"Avitus," said a nervously small voice behind him. The fae turned around to see a small dark haired human, holding a sheet of paper. Maia- he always remembered her name- was a friend of Tali. "I found a way to reduce the guest list for the ceremony." He grabbed the paper, surprised that she completed the task so quickly.

"Done? Already?" he asked.

"I stayed up all night verifying the list," Maia said, her warm brown eyes displaying a sense of nervousness. At his stunned look, she amended her statements. "You said it was important. I had assistance, if that makes you feel better." She didn't really have help; she really did do all that work by herself. But Avitus was a high strung fae who was operating under an extraordinary level of neurosis.

"Well thank you," Avitus said, giving her a quick smile and nod.

"Do you need any help with something else?" she asked.

"This should be good for now. Their Majesties are going to be here any moment, and I wanted to show this to them. So thank yo- Actually, would you mind double checking the kitchen pantries?" he asked. "Ensure they are filled to the brim. The checklist for the ceremony dinner is located near the front of the kitchen. The chefs said they have checked everything through, but I want nothing to go amiss. I'll wring all their necks if I found out they were lying to me."

"No need for violence," Maia said as she made her way down the hall. "I'll head down there now."

"Thank you," Avitus said as she quickly turned the corner. He stood there for a while as various castle staff passed by him in a whirling frenzy.

"Avitus!" yelled a voice behind him.

The surprised advisor wasn't known to show his alarmed state, and this time wasn't an exception.

"Yes, Sire," he coolly responded as he turned around.

"Has all this planning gone to your head? Starting to drink early?" Jareth asked. "I called your name three times."

"Not yet," Avitus exhaled. "But that sounds like a magnificent idea." He extended his hand that was holding the paper to the king. "The revised guest list. I hope soon you can discuss with me why this is happening. You're known for elaborate jokes, but I pray this isn't one of them."

Jareth grabbed the list and walked past his advisor. "Follow me."

* * *

 "I should be offended, you know," Lydia complained as two workers packed Sarah's bag. "Why did I have to learn about this through the Palace crier?"

"This decision to make this puzzle was made last night," Sarah responded as she ate a biscuit while staring out the window. It's been a while since she's been in her chambers in her own Palace. It was a shame she was leaving for the Goblin Kingdom. "Late last night if that makes you feel any better."

"But I should have known ahead of time," she protested. "How long have you known?"

"The last time I checked you weren't my mother," Sarah snapped. "None of this is your concern."

Lydia's eyes widen in shock, confusion, and hurt.

"Sorry. Sorry," Sarah mumbled as she dropped her food on her plate. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"No. You have every right," Lydia said as she took a step back. "You are the Queen, and I'm not your mother."

"That doesn't mean that I should speak to you that way," she said. "A lot has happened, Lydia. One day this will be over, and we can talk about my reasons. But, this moment is not the time. I'm pregnant, and now you know- just like everyone else."

"I can understand that," Lydia responded with a nod. "I'm pleased to tell you that I finished all the wedding preparations. Well, mostly. I have several sketches for your dress and a few swatches that need your approval. Since all this is winding down, I assume that means I should start work on the royal nursery, yes?"

A small smile formed across Sarah's lips. "Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. I bet Jareth is beyond thrilled that he doesn't need to be bothered with wedding planning anymore. "

"I haven't told him yet," Lydia confessed. "I haven't decided when I will tell him; I like the idea of him being on edge due to the idea that I could barge in at any moment."

"The little victories," she said as she stood up and reached her hands to the ceiling, stretching her tired body. "When it comes to Jareth, I can't blame you for taking them." Sarah left her chair and walked to her closet in the adjoining room, Lydia following close behind. "I'll keep your secret." She reached to the buttons on her back, trying to release the fabric constrains on her.

"Why do you always insist on doing this by yourself, especially when help is literally behind you?" Lydia asked, removing Sarah's hands so that she could unbutton her dress.

"I'm tired of asking people for things," Sarah admitted. "Particularly lately."

"Too bad," Lydia said. "That's part of the job. I bet you were precocious as a child. I doubt the young Princess Sarah had a problem bossing anyone around."

"I mostly remember asking them where my parents were," she stated. Lydia could have kicked herself; she should have known better. "But," Sarah said, trying to alieve the tension. "I would pester the kitchen staff, always asking when is or what's for dinner."

"Nice to know some things never change," Lydia said as she slid the dress off Sarah's body.

"What do you mean?" Sarah said, affronted. "I'm extremely friendly to everyone in the kitchens."

"So, what Murray said about you handing out copies of your favorite Aboveground food and ensuring the entire staff have the recipes memorized was all in his head?" Lydia asked.

"That's not bossy," she contested. "That's ensuring everyone is on the same page."

"All right," Lydia chuckled as she placed the dress on its hanger. "I feel like I haven't dressed you in a while. Which causes me to wonder: where's Tali?"

"With Lochlan, I presume," Sarah said as she walked over to her dresser. "I gave her a default day: I mostly want to be left alone, and she had a horrible night last night." She paused a moment before opening the dresser drawer. "All of us there did really."

Lydia saw the clothes that Sarah was taking out. "So, I'm guessing your way of dealing with this is to wear some human clothing."

"These clothes make me happy and remind me of a time when all I had to worry about is whether I remember to tip the delivery guy or if one of my students was going to cancel on me," she admitted as she put on of her legs through her pants.

"Do you wish you still had that life?" Lydia asked. Sarah stopped dressing for a moment before putting on her t-shirt.

"Sometimes," she revealed. "But I think about how simple my life would be if I was never found- life would be easier. However, as lame as it sounds, I've never been happier than when I am with Jareth. And a simple life just doesn't measure up to a happy one."

Lydia brought her hands to her cheeks. "That's so beautiful. Can I put that somewhere in the wedding?"

"No," Sarah quickly answered. "Enough of my life is given to the Court. They're not going to have my marriage."

* * *

 "What? How could she not tell me?" Kalin sputtered as she held a copy of the Palace notice in her hand. "What about her visit to your kingdom? She canceled that visit, yes? And you're okay with this?"

"Yes, I'm fine with this," Taggert said as he sat at a table on the balcony outside his chambers. "And if I wasn't, that doesn't matter since I'm not head of the Court anyway."

"Did she tell you this?" she said, standing near the railing, forgoing her breakfast. "Is this why Jareth called you late last night?"

Taggert nearly snorted before looking up at Kalin noticing a hurt expression on her face.

"She didn't tell me anything of the sort," he said, trying to mitigate the situation. "Do you think she thinks so less of you to tell me before you?"

"Sarah told the entire Court before me," Kalin countered, throwing a paper across the table. Taggert reached up to grab it before it landed in any of the food.

"Don't be upset," he said.

"Too late," she said. "I'm mad. Wait a minute? Is she irritated with me? Why didn't she ask me for help as well last night?"

"I already told you why," Taggert said as he began eating his food. "If Sarah wanted a hunting party of Dark Elves in your territory, she would have called for you also. You're reading too much into this. She's overwhelmed; nothing more."

Kalin sighed in aggrivation. "I hate it when you make sense," she muttered. "Did you tell her and Jareth about our engagement? Since that you say that Sarah's overwhelmed- maybe I should send her a note or something."

"Maybe you should sit down," he said, gesturing to the empty chair across from him. Kalin grudgingly walked over to the chair and pulled out her chair. Before she sat down, she became startled by a knock on the door.

"Don't worry about it; you should sit down," Taggert instructed as he trotted to the door.

"Telling me what to do," Kalin mumbled under her breath as she forcefully stabbed her food with a fork.

"Don't be difficult," he called out as he opened the door. A centaur courier stood on the other side of the door holding an envelope.

"This came in urgent from the Palace," the courier said, handing the envelope to his king.

"It looks like a simple invitation," Taggert said.

"An-uh- urgent invitation," he said. "Possibly?"

Taggert gave the courier a smirk. "If there could be such a thing. Thank you," he said before closing the door.

"Did I hear urgent invitation?" Kalin cried out as she stood from her chair.

"I am capable of walking to you," he stated. "Sit. Down."

"You're not the boss of me, you know," she said while reluctantly complying.

"That is true, but it's always fun to play pretend," Taggert said, joining her at the table. "Make believe is not just for humans." He carefully ripped the envelope open before discarding it for the letter inside.

"What does it say?" Kalin pestered.

"If you go to your own castle, you would probably find your own invitation," he teased.

"Don't pretend that you want me gone," she said, finally taking a bite of her food.

"Of course not," Taggert said as he read over the letter. "I always want you around me- which is why we are here and not at the cabin."

"I loved your proposal, but I cannot sleep in that shack," Kalin confessed. "I need stone walls around me, not wood."

"You're lucky that I appreciate all your wonderful quirks," he smirked as he handed her the note. "Here- since you want to know about this so bad."

Kalin swiftly snatched the letter for his hands causing him to chuckle.

"Are they serious? Moving up the induction ceremony for the Goblin Kingdom?" she wonder aloud. "Did you know about this?"

"Of course," Taggert stated. "They told me this last night."

"And you didn't feel like I should know about this?" Kalin said, affronted. "All this is happening, and I'm left out of the loop."

"As I told you earlier, I could have spent this morning rehashing all these boring meetings that I had late last night," he reiterated. "Or I could lie around with you and bask in our engagement- enjoying our solitude together."

"Well," she muttered with a blush. "I guess that makes much more sense."

"I thought I convince you as much," Taggert smirked. Kalin ripped off a piece of her toast and threw it at her fiancé's head.

"Shut up," she muttered.

* * *

 Sawyer hands began to curl as his nostrils flared.

"Should I remind you that going berserk right now would be counterproductive?" Roux said, trying to be helpful.

"Sarah's pregnant?" Toby whispered. "I'm going to be an uncle? I'm too young to be called that. I can't believe she's pregnant."

"Don't say that!" Sawyer screamed, causing Toby to fall off the log that he was perched on. "She can't be! How can she be?"

"I think she had sex, genius," Toby cynically muttered as he sat back on the broken tree. "Probably with that guy with the crazy hair who follows her around."

Roux snorted as he ripped into his baguette before plopping a piece into his mouth.

"This isn't funny," Sawyer growled. "Do you find this humorous, Roux?"

"Well- that sentence the human said, yes," Roux admitted. "Actually, this whole adventure is quite ridiculous."

"This changes things," Sawyer whispered as he paced back and forth across the forest ground. "We have to speed up our plans."

"You have plans?" Toby wondered aloud.

"Quiet, you obnoxious human!" Sawyer spat. "When is this bloody ceremony supposed to take place?"

"Three days," Roux stated.

"You said you knew of a place in the Goblin Kingdom to hide out," Sawyer stated.

"Sort of. The Northeast part of the territory is basically desolate," Roux said. "But we shouldn't stay in one place for very long. We don't have the luxury of look outs, and we have this to carry around as well."

"I have name. Don't have to be a dick about it," Toby groused. "It's not like I asked to join in. You took me, remember?"

"Enough of you complaining," Sawyer said as he forcefully grabbed Toby by the arm, dragging him to his feet. "Let's move."

* * *

 "Reule! It's too late in the day," Halla hissed as her leader walked into the Centaur forest while she and the other members of the hunting party stayed behind. "It's nearly noon."

"I can smell them," he insisted.

"I understand this, but their sent is not strong, and we need to leave," she said. "We're not supposed to be on Seelie lands this late in the day."

"Then go back home!" Reule yelled back. "I'm following this."

Halla swore loudly as she leaned her head back in frustration. "Dammit. Come on, you guys. We can't let him do stupid things by himself."

After a few minutes of walking, a member of the hunting party noticed something.

"There's something over here," he yelled to the others as he ran off to the side away from everyone else.

"He better have something," Halla muttered. "I'm tired of searching for nothing."

"I told you that you may leave," Reuele said while he marched.

"And deal with your whining bullshit later? No way," she said dismissively.

"I thought you liked me whining?" he said as he gave her a shove.

"Shut up," Halla mumbled while cutting a brush away from her path with her blade. Reule and Halla were the last ones in their group to arrive at the end point.

"If you're going to be on the run, I don't understand why you would leave food behind," Reule stated as he observed the half eaten fruit and bread loaf.

"Do you smell that?" Halla questioned as she circled the former camp. "There's another one with them. There are three of them- not two. It's human, right? Why would they have a human with them?"

Reule sniffed the air a few times before his mouth turned into a sneer. "I remember that smell."

Halla noticed the light reflex off of something out of the corner of her eye. She walked over to a hallowed out log, kneeled down, and picked up the object.

"We need to get to King Lochlan," Reule said as he stood over Halla. "Now."

* * *

 Lochlan held Tali's hand tight with his own as he escorted her through his castle toward the throne room.

"You can release my hand," she chuckled as she struggled to keep up with his pace.

"Nonsense," he said, rounding the corner before magically opening the doors to the throne room. "Haven't we spent enough time apart? I told you that we must make up for lost time."

"Yes, but I specifically remember you talking about helping Sarah by sending out a hunting party into Seelie lands," Tali countered, struggling to keep up with his pace. "Shouldn't you keep an eye on them? Just a thought."

"They know if they go against my explicit orders," Lochlan reasoned as he continued to pull her into the room. "I'll snap their necks."

"And how do they know that?" she questioned.

"I told them," he simple said. "Now, enough with talk of those cretins; It's time to talk about me and how wonderful I am."

Tali stared up at him in exasperated confusion. "We already did that. Remember? At the Troll Kingdom? I said how awesome you were for finally being open with me."

"Ah, yes," Lochlan said with a smile. "We will continue that train of thought later. But I meant in regards to my castle." She was still confused, and, frankly, she was tired of his obfuscations.

"You are such a maddening fae," she said. "What are you talking about?" Lochlan grabbed her shoulders and whirled her around to scrutinize his throne room. He leaned down to whisper into her ear.

"Do you notice now?" he asked.

Tali let out a gasp. "You cleaned." She walked over to a wall. "You can actually see the sparkle in the black stone." A few new pieces of tapestries were hanging throughout the throne room. "Did you have these made?"

"Found them in storage room. I knew they were around here somewhere; I just needed to have some poor soul look form them," Lochlan stated as he walked up behind her. "I didn't actually clean. I decided to hire one of those- what are they called again- ah, a maid. Several of them actually."

"You hired people to clean?" she questioned, a bit astounded as she turned to face him. Something caught the corner of her eye. "Then why are there still cobwebs on the ceiling? They're everywhere."

"Well, I couldn't alter myself too much," he admitted. "I can't stand this place to be too sanitary."

"Did you do this for me?" Tali asked as she raised an eyebrow in suspicious. "I never asked you to do this."

"True, but I would rather you not have to walk through certain sections of the castle pinching your nose," he pointed out. "Also, those servant quarters won't be empty. It's a shame: they had to clean them out before moving in. Those rooms were dreadful- hadn't been used in years."

"Thank you," she whispered, cupping his head in her hands as she got on her tiptoes to place a tender kiss on his cheek.

"I had an entire castle cleaned, and that's the only penance I receive?" Lochlan asked, affronted. "I had other things in mind; most of them involve restraints of some kind. Fabric or chain?"

"Shut up," Tali said as she playfully shoved him.

"Don't ignore me," he said. "I asked a question."

A series of loud knocks rattled the door.

"Someone's at the door," she cheekily said.

"Enter," Lochlan snarled as he snatched Tali's wrist before walking them both to his throne. He sat down in his chair but not before grabbing her around the waist, causing her to fall in his lap. "Yes, I do like you right here."

Another series of knocks shook the door.

"I said enter!" he yelled.

Tali's hands quickly covered her ears. "Don't yell in my ear," she scolded.

"My apologies, pet. They are quite large- must pick up the most minute of sounds," he jested as the doors opened.

"Well, now you're being rude," she said as she retreated from his lap while he tried in vain to snatch her back.

"You have guests to attend to," Tali said, pointing to the group of dark elves that stood before them.

"I see you have no one else with you," Lochlan growled at the group, showing his annoyance at the situation. "Did you intend on interrupting me simply to say that you found nothing?"

"Our allotted time in the Seelie Court ran out," Halla replied. "And the trail went cold. We suspect they used magic to transport somewhere else."

"And you thought I would care to know all the intricate details of how you failed in your endeavor?" Lochlan spat. "Anything else you would like to share with me? Did you drop your breakfast this morning? Forget to wipe your ass after using the latrine?"

"Lochlan," Tali said slowly. Although she chose not to say anything, she raised one of her eyebrows in response to his surly attitude before walking toward one of the tapestries hanging for the ceiling, admiring the workmanship.

Lochlan let out a huff as he sat up straight in his throne. "Why are you here without your intended targets?"

"We have information," Reule said as he took a step forward. He reached into his satchel, muddling around in his bag looking for his find. The odd display caught Tali's attention, causing her to turn her attention away from the decoration and toward the dark elf. Reule finally found what he was looking for as he pulled out something that was very familiar to Lochlan and Tali.

Tali's face became ashen as she nearly stumbled walking up the dais to Lochlan when she fully recognized the object. Lochlan stood up and guided Tali into his seat.

"How did this happen?" she asked as a shaky hand covered her mouth.

Lochlan walked to Reule and grabbed the object to inspect it further.

"Bloody hell," he hissed.

* * *

 "This- This is a very interesting plan," Avitus said quietly.

"Are you placating me?" Jareth questioned as he leaned back in his chair. "The idea was originally Sarah's."

"This plan reminds me of a game of chess," he said. "She's planning several moves ahead with the idea that we will win in the end, but the only way to win is if we saw things through perfectly."

"What you are saying is that this is a ridiculously interesting plan?" Jareth inquired.

"There's a high chance for disorder and chaos," Avitus surmised. "But also a high chance for maximum satisfaction if this works out well- everything a fae could want. I much approve."

Jareth smirked before turning to the door and called out. "Come in!"

The door opened to show a fatigued looking Sarah wearing a pair of striped, threadbare pajama trousers and a t-shirt so old that whatever letters were originally there but have worn away.

"Before you say anything," she said, heading off the impending jokes at her expense. "I realize I look ridiculous to you, but I don't care. After the last several hours or so, I want to be comfortable."

"Fair enough, Your Majesty," Avitus said with a smile. "I'm surprised you continue to walk about. You know this castle has many servants; you should me lying in bed."

"Once again: I'm pregnant- not incapacitated," Sarah sighed as she padded into the room.

"Go over the new protocols with castle security," Jareth told Avitus as he pushed a piece of paper across the desk to his advisor. "And then leave me alone for the rest of the day, unless there is an emergency."

"That can be easily accomplished," he said, standing up as he grabbed the paper. Avitus presented his seat to Sarah. "You may be able bodied, but you should find rest when you can."

"Don't need to tell me twice," she said as she practically fell into the cushions of the chair. When Avitus left, Sarah breathed in deeply before releasing a ragged breathe.

"How difficult was it?" Jareth asked.

"Tremendously," Sarah replied.

"Do you wish to talk about it?" he inquired.

"Not really," she groaned.

"Was the point of you coming down here was to show up in my office, dressed as a vagabond-"

"I do not look like a vagabond," Sarah said, clearly irritated. "If anything, I look like a broke college student who lives off of frozen burritos, and I loved those frozen burritos."

Jareth leaned back in his chair as his mouth broke out into a large grin. "Come here," he ordered while he reached out his arm toward her.

"What if I don't want to?" Sarah answered defiantly.

"Come. Here," Jareth commanded. "Don't make me repeat myself again."

Sarah pursed her lips as she crossed her arms across her chest. A few moments of silence stretched between them before Jareth broke the tension.

"Sarah."

"Fine," she rolled her eyes in mock disgust before launching into his arms, causing Jareth to release a grunt.

"Always making things difficult," he murmured as he nuzzled her neck as his hands stroked her side. "It's a pity that I love that about you."

"Shut your face," Sarah said. Her gaze wandered to the walls of his study, never settling in one spot. "I wonder if those dark elves found anything. Lochlan hasn't stopped by here yet, has he?"

"Don't," Jareth ordered as he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "He's a fully grown, well mostly, and he'll arrive when he has something to report to you. Don't stress over this. You're here to rest before the Induction Ceremony."

"And before the shit hits the fan," she added as she swatted his hand away from her face.

"Quiet you," he said. "Only two of these faes to worry about, if that."

"One of which is a certifiable psychotic. Before I left the Palace, I was informed that Odhran still needs a healer," Sarah stated. "This Sawyer is one messed up asshole." She rubbed her hands over her face. "I'm supposed to be relaxing, right? I'm horrible at this so far."

"Yes, well, at least you are dressed the part," Jareth joked. "I have servants who clean out my moat whose uniform is better than your outfit is at this point."

"Shut up," she retorted before snorting with laughter. "I was getting odd looks from everyone walking up here. I don't need any nonsense from you."

"They're not expecting the Queen of the Seelies to appear like a beggar," he said. "It's possible that they considered giving you some extra coins."

"I'm Queen of the Court," Sarah reasoned. "If I can't dress up the way I want, then I don't understand why I should even have this job."

"This is my own castle, fashioned from the ground by my mother," Jareth explained. "Yet I have never dressed in scrubs, ambling about the halls."

"Oh no, not you. You're better than that," she teased as she slowly removed the leather glove from his left hand. "When you get pissed drunk, you like dress as debonair as possible." Sarah held up his naked hand, pressing one of his knuckles forcing his nail to extend. "You should stop wearing these; I hate seeing them covered up."

With his teeth, Jareth removed his other glove, allowing it to the ground. He raked his protracted nails through Sarah's hair, stopping occasionally to massage her scalp.

"I've been wearing them for so long that it would seem amiss if I would go without them," he stated. "However, I'm happy that you are pleased with my hands."

"And you have very good hands," she mumbled before kissing him gently on his lips. Jareth's hand crept their way down to the base of her neck, halting her retreat.

"We need to get away," he sighed against her lips. "A proper vacation, only the two of us. I swear you've already done more work for the Court than your father did his entire reign."

"Are you saying that I should start being lazy?"

"No, however I believe you are overworking yourself," Jareth explained. "Maybe you are feeling a modicum of guilt still; maybe you want to set yourself apart from your predecessor. Yet I doubt anyone will complain if you back away from your duties a bit."

"You just want me to be more available to you," she replied.

"I want you to not stress, and you should try to rid yourself of any undue burden during your pregnancy and even after," he said as he brushed her shirt to the side to expose her shoulder allowing him to plant a kiss on her expose skin.

"I can't wait to no longer be pregnant so you'll stop treating me like I'm made out of eggshells," Sarah said as she vacantly picked up his pen, dipped it into the inkwell, and began scribbling on a blank sheet of paper on his desk. "I'm being serious when I say that I cringe to think how you will act when I'm showing."

"I'm not treating you like you are fragile," Jareth responded, defending himself. His thumb lazily drew circles on her hip. "Stop throwing all these accusations at me. I've always cared about your well-being. Are you trying to say that I was neglectful of you prior to your condition?"

Sarah didn't answer- only continued creating her nonsensical patterns on the sheet of paper.

Jareth rested his chin on her shoulder as he looked over at her, moving several strands of her hair behind her ear. "You're precious to me, and I'll continue to treat you as such. I have you, and I won't let you go. You had your chance to run away from me, but now it's too late." He kissed the shell of her ear causing her to smile. When he looked down at her hand, he nearly laughed at the manic scribbling her saw. "Are trying to draw?" he flippantly asked.

"Nope. Cant' draw, and I'm not trying to," she replied dropping the pen before opening his lower desk drawer, snatching a large pad of paper from inside. Sarah held the notebook in her hand, away from him "But you can."

"You already knew that I could draw," he said with an amused look that barely covered his rising unease. "Where are you going with this?"

"What's in here?" Sarah asked.

"If you want to look, go ahead," Jareth said with a shrug.

"When I tried to look at this before, you nearly ripped my hand off so I wouldn't see it," she countered.

"When Avitus was here? Somethings I prefer for him not to know," Jareth said as he looked to the side briefly before turning back to her. "Open it up; look inside."

Sarah placed the book, face up, on the desk. She noted that the notebook was dense, consisting of many pages. The cover appeared to be old yet well taken care of by its owner.

"You went through all this trouble. There's nothing of note on the outside. Open it," he said as he reached out and flipped the book open, revealing the opening page.

The first page showed a simple building drawn in charcoal. It was rather modest looking, comprising of stone walls and a thatched roof. Several trees appeared behind the structure as a small stream appeared in the foreground.

"Childhood home," he answered before Sarah could ask. "That's where we lived before my father died. It's not there anymore."

Sarah remained silent as she turned the page. The next drawing was also in charcoal. The trees were still in the background, but they were closer together, appearing more dark and foreboding. The stream remained in the forefront, but the house was gone, replaced by a figure lying on the ground laying on the edge of the water, wrapped in customary fae funeral shawls. The face was obscured.

"Is this a drawing of when you found your father?" she asked.

"An interpretation," he said with his chin still resting on her shoulder. He had his arms wrapped around her, keeping her close. "What I saw was more gruesome. If I was going to draw him, I was going to do it respectfully." Jareth reached with his right hand to carefully trace his drawing. "The burial shroud in this is the same one we entombed him with. I never could bring myself to draw any depictions of his funeral."

"Also not able to draw him either?" she theorized. Jareth reached out again to turn the page. Sarah looked down to see a pencil drawing of a male fae. His features were drawn with such detail that Sarah could almost see his eyes twinkle- a simple kindness that he possessed. The smoothness of his skin around his eyes betrayed the wisdom conveyed to the viewer. His hair was long and straight with a small band of fabric across his forehead- signifying his status in the Seelie Court. He had sharp, angular facial features. His lips were thin. And with his tight lip smile, he seemed to convey that he knew your every secret.

"Faolin," Sarah breathed.

Without saying anything, Jareth turned the page again. This time a female fae was depicted. Her eyes were tremendously different than Faolin's. They were black, but they also didn't carry any type of compassion. Rather, mischievousness and a type of playfulness that warned you to tread carefully with her were depicted in her eyes. Her hair was long yet had more of a waviness that Faolin did not. Her lips were full, giving off a smug smile letting the viewer know how satisfied she was with herself at all times. She had no circlet of any kind- only wearing a simply top, the upper part of a dress Sarah presumed.

"I'm sure you realized that this is my mother," he said.

"She looks like a troublemaker," Sarah stated with a snort.

"She would consider that a compliment," Jareth said. "As most Unseelies do."

"You look like your father," she teased as she turned her head to the side to look at him. "But have the attitude of your mother."

Jareth released a hearty laugh, causing Sarah to shake.

"I've never given the matter much thought," he admitted. "I would say you are right about that."

Sarah quickly thumbed the corner of the pages of his notebook, taking stock of the vast amount of drawings he must have.

"There's a lot here," she noted. "When did you start this?"

"Let's see," Jareth thought out loud. "Shortly after turning nineteen… No. Twenty. I forget now. I wrote my age in the corner of my drawings later on." He rapidly flipped through the pages, making his way through one fourth of his book, before stopping on a picture of a prairie with multiple sheep grazing on grass. "Here we go," he said pointing to the small number in the corner.

"Seventeen," Sarah stated. "You were off by a few years."

"Just throw stones at me," he grumbled as he rolled his eyes. "After a while, those years blend in my mind. "I assume I started this book around age fourteen or fifteen."

"You drew a lot in that amount of time," she noted.

"Life was terribly disruptive and unsettling," Jareth explained. "This process allowed me to ease my mind. As my role in the kingdom increased, I had less time for activities such as this."

"Why did you decide to draw sheep?" Sarah asked.

"I mostly sketched the goings-on in the kingdom," he answered. "This particular day involved watching sheep… for some reason."

"Do you have a favorite drawing? Or are they all the same to you?" Sarah inquired. "I guess that's a dumb question. You did draw your parents."

"It's nice to have those reminders around so I will never forget what they looked like after all these years," Jareth concurred. "However, I do have several favorites." He thumbed through the several pages until he arrived at the back half of the book. Along the way, Sarah saw glimpses of Goblin Kingdom landscape and her subjects. She could have sworn that she saw representations of Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus as well as Lydia and other villagers.

"Here we go," he announced as his hand left the page. Sarah was stunned for a moment since she found it odd to see herself looking back at her, even if it was a pencil drawing.

"You drew me," she said, a bit stunned. Since she occasional saw him drawing on loose pieces of paper, Sarah shouldn't be surprised, but she hasn't even had her official painting done by the royal portraitist.

"Do you remember where this was?"

The sketch was consisted of the top half of her body, but she recognized that coat. Sarah didn't wear it often before she left the Underground. Her heart dropped when she saw her face. Her eyes appeared sad yet resolved; she knew immediately why she was drawn that way.

"This was when I told you I was about to be sent Aboveground," Sarah replied. She noticed the number in the corner. "Two thousand two hundred and twenty-five."

"Are you planning to torment me about my age again?" Jareth asked, preparing himself against the potential teasing that he was sure would come his way.

"No," she said as a small frown formed. "But we never celebrated your birthday. If I remember correctly, the last time I brought it up, you mumbled something about pointless parties and ridiculous navel gazing and, I quote, utter bullshit."

"I was wrong about that. It is complete bullshit," he clarified. "I'd rather not deal with a bevy of people I barely speak to eating desserts around me."

"I told you that we didn't have to have cake," Sarah said as she turned to face him. That remarked earned her a leveled stare from the Goblin King. "Or other people around. We could have done something to take note of the day. It shouldn't just be any other day."

"My birthday was two months and three days ago," Jareth recalled. "It was a little over a week after your coronation and your refusal to speak with me. The actual day was spent sitting on the floor instead of couch, eating what you call Thai food and popcorn with Toby, while watching tremendously atrocious movies and playing video games."

"I wasn't thinking, and you didn't remind me," she muttered, becoming frustrated with the fact that she forgot his birthday.

"Last year, I had the throne room cleared out, opened a bottle of goblin ale, and sat in the window, watching the goblin city grow rambunctious as the night went on while I drank alone," he said. "I was happy this year; that's all I could ever ask for." He placed a kiss on her temple. "I have no need for a tepid Happy Birthday sing-a-long."

"It would not have been tepid," Sarah groaned her annoyance as she turned her attention back to the book. "When we have the time, I'm going to throw you a belated birthday party."

"Bloody hell," he mumbled as he buried his head in her shoulder.

"Stop your complaining," she said as she flipped the page. "This is going to happen."

Sarah looked down to see another picture of her. Seeing the furniture in the background, she knew the depiction was of her Aboveground, in her parents' bedroom.

"You didn't feel like drawing anything between when I left and the time I summoned you?" she asked, turning the page again, showing her standing in front of the wall to the Labyrinth.

"No," he replied. "I didn't do much of anything except work. I believe Avitus said those where the most productive years I've ever had."

She turned the page again. This charcoal drawing showed her using her lipstick to draw arrows on the Labyrinth floor.

"It's very rude to deface my Labyrinth that way," he chided.

"Oh please. That didn't help me anyway," she said, flipping the page over.

"How cross will you be with me for revealing I laughed when you fell through that hole?" Jareth said with humor in his voice. Although Sarah couldn't see his face, she could tell he was holding back his laughter. Her eyes squinted in annoyance as she looked at her teenage self being hoisted in the air by several pair of hands.

"You're extremely annoying some times," she muttered, forcefully turning the page. Her anger dissipated for a moment. "Ludo." The sketch showed Sarah's near failed attempted at untying the beast from his precarious position. The next page showed her eating a peach as Hoggle shambled away. Sarah said nothing and neither did Jareth as she turned the page again.

"Did I tell you that for years I would dream about this almost night?" Sarah asked as she stared at a drawing of the two of them dancing with party goers all around them.

"As did I," Jareth responded. He held out his left hand and formed a crystal. The image of the two of them dancing in the ballroom showed in the orb. "I never wanted to forget." He dropped his hand, causing the crystal to disappear.

"Sometimes, I wish you would have just told me everything," she admitted. "Instead of carrying on this long charade."

"Would you have believed me?"

Sarah paused for a moment as she stared at the picture. "Probably not," she answered. She grabbed the notebook and left Jareth's lap, but not before he attempted to snatch her arm to bring her back.

"Where are you going?"

Sarah walked over to the couch across from the cold fireplace. "This thing is way more interesting than I thought it would be," she said quietly as she plopped down on the sofa.

"Are you going to allow those thoughts of yours to carry you away from me?" Jareth asked as he rested his chin in his hands.

"No, I won't," she mumbled as she stared at a drawing showing her destruction of the ballroom.

Jareth stood up from his chair and sauntered over to the drink cart while the sound of Sarah flipping pages from the book filled the air. After he poured two glasses of wine, he walked over to her and placed her glass on the table in front of her. He looked down to see a drawing of Sarah standing in the background while only his feather-clad shoulder could be seen in the foreground, his back facing the viewer.

"You've had far less time to contemplate these issues than I have," Jareth explained, sitting down next to her. "But trust someone who has already been there: there's no need to overthink this. It will just drive you mad."

Sarah was silent as she turned the sheet of paper. There she was again: her as a teenage partying with Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, and others she met while traversing the Labyrinth.

"You were outside?" she asked, the pitch in her voice rising.

Jareth gulped his drink down before setting the empty glass on the table. "Did I never mention that?" He completely forgot that he drew that.

"You didn't," Sarah said, glaring at him. "Why would you do that?"

"If you are going to harp about privacy, you should know by now that I don't really care about other's personal space," he said.

"I'm not talking about my privacy," she countered. "I'm talking about your sanity. It was easy for me to go back Aboveground- I didn't remember anything about my life in the Seelie Court. But you- you knew everything, and yet you subjected yourself to that. Why?"

"You always ask a different question, yet the answer will always be the same: I didn't know when or if I would see you again," he grumbled as he eyed his empty glass. "Also, I might have been in a self-flagellating mood."

Sarah ignore the book for the first time in a while as she sat back to contemplate a thought that was swirling around in her head. When she found the right words, she turned in her seat to regard Jareth. "What would you have done if I was never sent Aboveground?"

"You mean if your father wasn't insane and decided to traverse down the road of madness?" he asked as he lazily stroked his chin with his thumb.

"Yes. What if I was still that bored Princess stuck in the Palace, writing you letters?"

Jareth quickly stood up, grabbed his glass, and moseyed back to the drink cart. "Didn't I just talk about thinking too much about the 'what ifs' in life? This type of think-"

"Humor me and answer the question," she said, pinning him down with her stare.

The sound of liquid being poured into a previously empty glass filled the air.

"It's quite possible that I would have done everything to convince you to be with me," Jareth stated before sipping his wine. "I doubt I would still engage in that nonsense some call courting."

"And you think I would just be allowed to go with you?"

"No. Which is why I would have probably taken you," he admitted. "Like in that one frightful movie you subjected me to, I would have snatched you in the middle of the night."

"Well, that's rude," she stated.

"I never claimed to be polite," Jareth said, giving her a large smile.

Sarah twisted back around, shutting the book closed. "You're too much sometimes."

"Why did you close it?" he asked as he stood next to where she was sitting.

"I'm done reminiscing," she said. "It's becoming tiring." Jareth leaned over to pick up the book, flipped toward the back of the book, and then set the book in front of her.

"Did you sketch me while I was sleeping?" Sarah nearly screamed.

"What do you expect me to do when you decide to sleep in hours after I wake up? This what happens when you refuse to wake up with me."

"Really? You have nothing else better to do?" she asked.

"There are a lot of things that I could do, but I preferred to do this," he said as he flipped the page again to show another likeness of Sarah.

"That's lovely," Sarah said sarcastically. "I don't really need to see my bare ass."

"I don't know," Jareth mused, marveling at his charcoal sketch of her stepping into a bath tub. "I rather like it. I enjoy this one a lot actually."

"Well, you can have fun with this by yourself," she said, standing up from the couch. Jareth moved in her path as she tried to walk away.

"Where are you going?" he asked before grasping her hips, bringing her body against his.

"Away so that you can continue to pursue your artistic endeavors," Sarah joked, pushing against his chest to a make him move. But he wouldn't budge, causing her to laugh. "Get out of my way."

Jareth's response was placing a finger under her chin, tilting her head upward. "Didn't I warn you that you will never be rid of me?" He intended on kissing her soft and gently. However, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, Jareth reminded himself before holding Sarah by the base of her neck, forcing a passionate kiss upon her. His tongue forced its way passed her lips, causing her to moan. His lips pressed against her throat before lightly nipping at her skin.

"Did I mention that my schedule is cleared for the day?" Jareth muttered against her skin. Sarah's hands slowly crept up his arms before coming to rest on his shoulders.

"Yes, you did," she mumbled as she felt his tongue ghosted along the shell of her ear. "But I was thinking about finding Lydia and discussing possible nursey decorations."

"Liar," he hissed, grabbing her bum forcefully.

"SARAH!" a feint voice yelled, yet loud enough to be heard in Jareth's study.

"Is that Tali?" she asked, ignoring Jareth's carnal attentions.

"She knows this castle; if she's lost, she can bother someone else," he said, in between kissing her shoulder.

"That didn't sound like she was lost," Sarah said while moving away from Jareth's grasp. However, Jareth grabbed her arm, halting her from going toward the door.

Sarah turned around to snap at him. "Jareth." An annoyed and disgruntled look crossed Jareth's face, but he was interrupted from saying anything by the banging on the wall.

"Sarah! Jareth!"

"Is that Lochlan?" she whispered.

"Open the door!" Lochlan yelled. Jareth marched to the door and opened it. "About bloody time," the Unseelie King complained as he barged into the study with an anxious appearing Tali behind him. "I would have let myself in, but she told me that was rude."

"Now is not the time, Lochlan," Tali admonished.

"Why are you here?" Sarah asked, raising her voice showing her concern as to why they were here.

Tali stood up straight before creating a crystal in her hand. The orb disappeared leaving only its contents in her hand.

For Jareth and Sarah, it seemed as though all the air left the room as they stared at the item. Sarah took a step backward, nearly losing her footing. Thankfully, Jareth held her steady.

"Where did you find that?" he demanded.

"My dark elf hunting party found it in the forest near the Centaur border," Lochlan said with regret in his voice. "They found evidence of Sawyer. However, they lost the trail by the time they had to return to my kingdom."

"He has Toby," Sarah whispered as slowly walked over to Tali. Looking down, she stared at the bracelet that Jareth made for Toby, the bracelet that Toby said he would never take off. Sarah grabbed it, staring blankly at it in her hands. "Sawyer has Toby," she mumbled, tears forming in her eyes. "I sent him back home because I thought he would be safe, but he isn't. Oh god, I hope Toby doesn't say anything to get himself killed."

"Like what?" Tali asked.

"Toby's a smartass so who knows," she said as she noticed Jareth walking to the door out of the corner of her eyes.

"Avitus!" he called out into the hallway.

"I must give this Sawyer credit: he was smart enough to take off Toby's bracelet," Lochlan stated. Everyone in the room turned to him, giving him an incredulous stare. "Let me finish," he said. "He wasn't too bright because he didn't try very hard to hide this thing. He's shrewd but sloppy. That will be his ultimate downfall."

"I don't care about any of that," Sarah said. She was starting to become overwhelmed with a horrible emotional mixture of fear and feeling frightened. "How do we get Toby back? Send out another search party maybe."

"No," Jareth said as he walked toward his desk.

"Why? Why no?" Sarah asked in earnest. Suddenly, Avitus walked into the room, stopping shortly after entering.

"Avitus, go Aboveground to see if anything is peculiar," Jareth order as he began scribbling his ideas on a loose leaf of paper. "Make sure no one sees you."

Avitus took a quick look at the occupants of the room, noting everyone's nervous and distressed attitude. "Yes, Sire," he answered before leaving the room.

"What are you doing?" Sarah asked through clenched teeth as she watched Jareth furiously writing.

Lochlan approached Sarah, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Toby is going to fine, I'm sure."

"He has my brother!" she snapped, pushing his hand off of her. "He has my brother, and it's my fault!" Tali tugged on Lochlan's shirt and walked them both over to couch.

"Don't," Tali whispered to Lochlan.

"Enough with that, Sarah," Jareth said calmly, continuing to sketch. "That type of self-criticism didn't work with Brexton, and it won't work now."

Avitus knocked once on the door to the study before letting himself in, not waiting for a response. He walked over to Sarah, handing her a piece of paper. She said nothing as tears fell on the flyer.

"What is it?" Jareth asked, halting his drawing.

Sarah held up the paper to show him. On top of the paper, the words "Missing Child" appeared in bold, black letters with a recent photo of the blond hair teenager below. Police information as well as a reward was listed at the bottom.

"I can send out a regiment of the Palace guard. No. The military," she said. "I'll have them searching the entire Court."

"You're going to get him killed if you do that," Jareth countered.

"He's correct," Lochlan chimed in. Tali shoved her elbow in his side.

"What do you know?" Sarah said in a surly tone.

"Sawyer took off Toby's bracelet for fear that I would be able to find him if he was wearing it," Jareth reasoned. "They're keeping him alive for a reason, and the longer Sawyer believes that we don't know about Toby the better."

"I can't just stay in this castle and do nothing while Toby is out there," Sarah reasoned as well as she could, trying not to allow the quivering in her voice to allow her to halter.

"That's a pity," Jareth said as he walked over to her. "Because that's what you are going to do."

"Jareth-"

"Sarah," he interrupted, taking the flyer away from her, crumpling up into a ball, and throwing in the corner. "You are starting to insult me, implying that I don't want Toby to be returned to his home safe and sound."

"I'm not saying that," she said quietly, wiping away tears, yet they continued to flow.

"If you are going to stress out, do it while lying down," Jareth said. "Tali, escort Sarah to our chambers."

"You could have just told me that," Sarah muttered as she walked out of the study, not waiting for her lady-in-waiting.

Tali sighed loudly as she walked toward the open door. "I hope next week is much better. This one sucks."

"She's livid and miserable," Jareth called out to Tali before she left. "Ensure she stays in that room until I arrive."

"That was lovely," Lochlan said when everyone left. "What have you written down there?"

"I had a plan prior to this new information," Jareth said as he walked over to his brother. "I still think it might work, but now I think I need your help. Sarah's not thinking clearly. It's tempting to simply look for Toby, but Sawyer is planning to use Toby for a reason, keeping the fact that he was been kidnapped secret…"

"But if Sawyer believes we know or Toby is no longer of any use to him," Lochlan interjected. "It seems as though we're going to be playing a game."

"And I play to win," Jareth declared as he handed Lochlan his plans.

Lochlan looked over the plans, smirking as he started to read. His smirked slowly turned into a large smile.

"Let the games begin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last week has been hard. Downright difficult actually.
> 
> I woke up last Monday to the news. Been beyond miserable ever since. Everything has been very sad right now.
> 
> I couldn't listen to his music. I wouldn't even consider finishing the next chapter- the words were always in my head, but I had no will to type them out. I simply decided to go off the grid for a while- especially with all the tributes on every webpage and TV show.
> 
> At times, I feel silly for shedding real tears over someone I've never met. However, we are all here reading and writing these stories based on a character that David Bowie embodied that inspired an entire fandom. The Labyrinth aside- who knows how boring this world would be without the influence of the Thin White Duke? Pretty dull now that I think about it.
> 
> So for now I will continue to cry for the man we loss. But I have turned my digital media and TV back on. I can now listen to some Bowie albums without crying (not Blackstar- not yet) because –dammit – those are good albums, and his work deserves to be enjoyed instead mourned over. And I will now finish this chapter and continue writing this story because that's the one thing that makes us human- creating. And that's what Bowie did until the end.
> 
> Sorry if this comes off a little (or very) maudlin- it probably is. Here's to moving forward and realizing how awesome it was to have David Bowie in our lives, no matter how tangential.
> 
> Peace and Love to you all.
> 
>  
> 
> "I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute in some way to the culture I was living in."
> 
> "This way or no way. You know, I'll be free. Just like that bluebird. Now ain't that just like me."
> 
> ~ David Bowie


	23. Chapter 23

_Watch me unravel I'll soon be naked_

_Lying on the floor, I've come undone_

* * *

Jareth paced the floor in his room in the Goblin castle as a gloved hand massaged his forehead. Sarah never listened. She was incapable of doing such a thing. These thoughts continued to scroll in his head as Rowena sat on the edge of their bed, examining Sarah after a fainting spell. Normally, he would be yelling at her to the point of exhaustion, but her lady-in-waiting was doing well on her own.

"You're pregnant, but you decide to keep running around like nothing is wrong," Tali huffed with her arms crossed across her chest. "And also, why didn't you tell me that you were pregnant?"

Sarah felt a deep seeded need to strangle Tali but couldn't since the healer still had her hands on Sarah's abdomen.

"Is that going to be the question that haunts me forever?" Sarah groaned. "And I feel fine. There's no need for this."

"You collapsed in the bathroom!" Jareth barked out, finally breaking his silence. "I told you to lie down and relax. But did you do that? No. You are incapable of not being combative. You caused yourself unnecessary emotional trauma, and now we had to call a healer."

"Did you forget the fact that my brother has been taken by a crazy person," Sarah asked.

"Which is why you needed to keep your mind calm," Jareth interjected. "Instead, you worked yourself into an agitated state."

"I didn't work myself into an agitated state," Sarah muttered. Rowena's hands left Sarah's abdomen as she released a sigh standing up, causing everyone to anxiously glared at her.

"Everything is fine," Rowena reassured everyone. "No need to panic, but you." She gave Sarah a displeased stare. "You need to not worry so much- especially to the point that someone finds you on the floor."

"It's not as though I did that on purpose," Sarah protested as she slowly sat up in the bed. "Am I the only one who thinks that I should be worried?"

"Let us worry for you," Tali responded, standing at the end of the bed.

"That doesn't even make sense," Sarah said.

Tali rolled her eyes. "Let us worry about the details. But you should do something else. Read a book. Walk in the gardens."

"I believe since this is the early stage of your pregnancy," Rowena said. "Maybe you forget that you're not only pregnant but pregnant with twins."

"I know that," Sarah snapped back. "You don't think I know that. I told the Palace to announce the Court and everything."

"Everyone, get out," Jareth ordered, causing the conversation to end. Rowena and Tali quickly left the room while Sarah attempted to leave the bed. Unfortunately for her, she was stopped by Jareth who forced her back in the bed.

"Not you," he sneered.

"Don't take that tone with me," Sarah complained as she leaned against the headboard. A knock prompted him to walk to the door. He opened it to see Avitus carrying a tea set on a tray. Opening the door further, he allowed Avitus to enter the room. The advisor swiftly walked over the side table near Sarah, placed the tray down, gave her a small smile, and left the room.

"You," Jareth stated as he poured a cup of tea before handing it to Sarah. "Are an exasperating creature."

"You're one to talk," she muttered, taking the tea from him.

"Now is not the time to get into a pissing match on who is more irritating," he said, pulling up a chair to sit beside her. "We can save that for another day. What we will not do is you run around acting carelessly."

Sarah scoffed while rolling her eyes in annoyance. "You're not my-"

"Father?" Jareth interrupted. "No, But I am your fiancé, your future, husband, and the father of your children." His voice rose in accordance with his temper. "Therefore, I will not tolerate your attempt to undermine my concern for you as some sort of paternal duty."

Sarah sipped her tea while staring at the duvet on the bed. Jareth breathed deeply as he worried his forehead with his gloved hands.

"Why are you like this?" he asked.

"Are you planning to psycho-analyze me? Because I'm not in the mood," she mumbled.

Jareth thought for a moment, thinking over his words carefully. "Let's talk this through," he suggested.

"I don't want to play this game," Sarah moaned, rolling her eyes at the situation. Jareth grabbed her cup of tea and placed it on the table next to her.

"Simply humor me," Jareth stated. She released a huff before giving him a curt nod. "Here we are, in this terrible predicament that has been made worse due to recent events. Your brother has been taken; you don't know where he is, and you want to do everything in your power to find him. There's a mad fae running around, and you want him caught."

"Yeah," she said as though everything he just said was obvious. "I don't understand why that needs to be said."

"Do you believe that you're the only one who cares about Toby?" he asked.

"Well no, but-"

"Do you believe that you are the only one who wants this Sawyer gutted and roasted on a spit?" he interrupted.

"Well, I don't know about all that- sounds a bit excessive," Sarah muttered as she fumbled with the duvet. "I realize that you care, however-"

"You haven't considered that I would be successful without you?" Jareth prodded.

"I want to help," she answered emphatically.

"You are helping."

"By sitting here?"

"By staying safe. I want you safe," he professed. "And don't be ridiculous. You will not be locked in this room. Just until you decide that you will no longer be unhinged."

"What? I am not unhinged," Sarah said, defending herself. "The last time you said that, I killed Oberon,"

"Is that your only excuse?" Jareth wondered aloud. "You nearly got yourself killed!"

"Kinda forgot about," she sheepishly said. Sarah looked down at her hands in her lap and then back at him. "Nearly got you killed also."

Jareth smirked before letting out a small laugh. "Life with you is never dull, Precious."

"Never said it would be," Sarah quietly said. He stood up from his chair, returning it back to its former place near the doors to the balcony.

"This has nothing to do with your pregnancy," he said as he walked over to the bed. "This has nothing to do with you being Queen of the Court or any other such nonsense. This is mostly about self-preservation."

Sarah tilted her head to the side in confusion. Before she could say anything, Jareth spoke up.

"I tend not to think straight with you around which is fine on any normal day," he said. "I told you this before. Please, listen this time. You came up with the preliminary ideas. Simply allow someone else to implement them. You know, for a Queen, you are tremendously terrible at delegating."

"Fine," she mumbled in irritation as she picked up her cup of tea. "Need to remember that you're the grunt. Got it."

"As long as we're clear," he said, walking toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to speak to someone," Jareth said before pinning her down with his gaze. "Don't. Move."

* * *

Tali walked the busy hallways of the Goblin castle until she found the quiet, secluded hallway that Avitus pointed her to. She stopped at a large wooden door. Tali raised her hand to knock but was interrupted.

"Enter," was all she heard. Tali turned the knob, allowing her to enter the room.

She saw Lochlan standing in the far left portion of the room, staring at the floor. The room was surprisingly small and economical for being on the royal residence wing of the castle. The single bed was huddled against the wall in the far right corner. A writing desk was set next to it near the window. A well-worn circular woven rug was placed in the center of the room.

"What are you looking at?" she asked as she shut the door behind her.

"I don't know why I thought it wouldn't still be here," he said, still looking at the floor.

Tali walked up and stood next to him. She noticed where his eyes were staring and saw a sizable burned mark scared a portion of the wooden floor.

"Did you do this?" Tali asked him.

"I threw a tantrum when I was nearly thirteen," Lochlan explained. "And it's still here."

"This is your room?" she inquired, turning in a circle. His relatively confined chambers at the Unseelie Castle came to her mind. "It's rather small for the son of a Queen."

"I never cared for large rooms to sleep in," he said quietly. "Living in close quarters allows me to believe that I have control."

"Didn't you say that you left here when you were thirteen?" Tali inquired.

"I did this the day before I told mother that I would go fight for Cian," he stated. "I still remember the hurt in her eyes- the anger and disappointment in Jareth's."

"Lochlan, we don't have to be here," she offered. "I can tell Jareth and Sarah that we'll come back tom-"

"Follow me," Lochlan instructed as he walked out of the room as Tali trailed closely behind him. He walked through the halls of the Goblin castle with such a familiarity, as though he hadn't left over two millennia ago.

"Where are we going?" Tali asked as they passed by numerous rooms as people rushed by them.

When they arrived at a large wooden double door, Lochlan stopped, which caused Tali to nearly run into his back. She heard him take a sharp intake of breath before opening the door that led to the castle grounds.

"You hate flowers," Tali pointed out as she looked at her surroundings. She never saw the private gardens of the castle before, and she didn't really understand why they were here.

"I told you to follow me," Lochlan called out. He didn't stop for her to admire the grounds, and she was lagging behind. She began a light jog to catch up with him, stopping her run when she finally reached him. To Tali, it appeared to her that they were walking forever. They turned a corner to walk down a narrow, stone passageway that was lined with lofty hedges. When they exited the corridor, the walls to the Labyrinth came into view.

"Huh," Tali remarked as she looked at the stone façade. "It's weird to see it from this side."

When Lochlan said nothing, she turned to her left to see him standing in front of tall horizontal stones that were set in a circle with a large flat stone placed on top. The tall hedges formed a semi-circle around the clearing. Tali covered her mouth, cursing herself for being so flippant a moment ago. She quietly walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his abdomen.

"I'm sorry," she said, resting her cheek against his back. Lochlan reached down to unclasp her hands from him, ushering her to stand next to him. He continued to keep his silence as he formed a dark purple crystal in his hand. The orb soon disappeared to reveal two white orchid stems.

"I told you that Mother loved these dreadful things, didn't I?" he said, looking down at the plants in his hand.

"Flowers?" Tali asked. "Yes. You did. It's weird for Unseelies to care about flowers, isn't it? Did your father like them as well?"

"Jareth said he didn't care either way," Lochlan stated. "It's quite frustrating to have to learn about your father through someone else." He walked over the front of the tomb, got on one knee, and laid the two stems on the ground, resting against a stone. He didn't move from his kneeling position while Tali stood several feet behind him.

Tali didn't know what to say, but she felt as though she should say something. "If you want me to leave, I can g-."

"Stay. I brought you here for a reason," he said as he slowly rose to his feet, but he still didn't turn to face her.

"And why is that?" she asked.

"Because… Because I need you," Lochlan confessed.

"How come?" Tali asked. "Just because my father passed away also, doesn't mean I know how to help people in situations like this. I'm a bit shit at it actually."

"No. I don't need you for this," he explained. "I've dealt with this on my own for a long time now."

Lochlan held his hand out to Tali, still not looking back at her. She walked to him, taking his hand in hers. However, he said nothing and Tali said nothing as well. After several minutes of silence, Tali formed a blue crystal in her hand which disappeared to reveal two white poppy flowers. Still holding on to his hand, she quickly knelt down to place the flowers next to the orchids before standing back up.

"I always viewed my mother as weak," Lochlan confessed. "I could easily blame that mindset on my Uncle- always telling me that Unseelies are liberated because we refuse to burden ourselves with such _trivial_ matters." Tali rested her head on his shoulder as she listened to him speak. "Although I become older, more _mature_ , I held on to that simple do to the fact that it was easier to cast my mother as tragic rather than accept any of her actions. My anger-"

"Prevented you from obtaining any sort of reconciliation with her," she interjected, gazing up at him. "You don't need to beat yourself over this anymore. Nothing comes from it, except sorrow and despair. You realize that you were wrong; now it's time to look forward." Tali stared at the tomb before returning her attention to him. "All parents want their children to be happy. That's all she and your father would have wanted in the end."

"Except for Sarah's parents," Lochlan quipped. "They were fine with her being miserable."

Tali scoffed at that assessment. "Are you now comparing your parents to Oberon?"

"Never," he smirked, gazing down at her.

"Thank you," she said as she held him close. "For allowing me to be here with you."

"I've heard this is what others do in relationships," Lochlan said. "I believe it's called _opening up_ or some sort of nonsense like that."

"Baby steps," Tali said with a smile before kissing him on his cheek.

"Am I interrupting?" a voice asked behind them. The couple turned around to see Jareth standing near the entrance.

"Is Sarah all right?" she asked with urgency in her voice.

"Why wouldn't she be all right?" Lochlan asked as he looked from Tali to Jareth. "Is she obsessing over her brother still? Do we need to gather some of the goblins to put on a play to distract her?"

"Give us a moment, would you, Tali?" Jareth asked. "Sarah could use your help."

"Sure," she said before leaving the two brothers.

For a moment, Jareth regarded his brother who was standing in front of their parents' tomb. "Meet me in my throne room," he said before disappearing.

When Lochlan appeared in the empty throne room, Jareth was already seated in this throne, staring at the wall as he was inclined to do.

"Are you telling me that Sarah is truly this disturbed?" Lochlan asked as he leaned against the wall near the window. "That Toby of hers can take car-"

"Sarah's pregnant," Jareth interrupted, still staring off into the distance. "With twins. That's why I'm worried about her. That's why I had Tali check on her- to ensure that she's not misbehaving."

Silence radiated throughout the room. Jareth thought it odd that his otherwise loquacious brother was decided to be silent. He turned his eyes to his brother who gawked in disbelief.

"Are you telling me the truth?" Lochlan said, all traces of humor gone from his face. "Some sort of weird joke? That's almost impossible enough to be absurd."

"Tali nearly lost her mind when she found out," Jareth stated. "I concluded that the announcement we released today was missed by the two of you."

"You decided to announce this with that lunatic out there?" Lochlan countered.

"I told you that we were luring him to us," Jareth said. "At the time, I assumed you knew."

"She's pregnant?" Lochlan asked, mostly to himself. Jareth gave him a slow nod. "With twins?" Jareth nodded again. "That means I will be an uncle?"

"I haven't given the idea much thought, but that is the most dreadful part of this whole ordeal," Jareth conceded. "You? Becoming an uncle?"

"Ah, young minds to corrupt. I'm up to the challenge," Lochlan said as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Are you frightened about this?"

"Petrified," he confessed. "Yet enormously overjoyed. For those reasons, I'm not about to let someone take that away from me."

"You have no reason to explain your motivations to me," Lochlan said. "I'll follow your lead when you need me to."

"Why did you take Tali to the tombs?" Jareth asked.

"Are you cross that I brought her there?" he asked. "Believe we should be the only ones allowed there?"

"No. I've taken Sarah many times," Jareth admitted. "I'm simply asking why you brought her there."

"Can't we discuss baby names instead?" he sighed. "I've always been partial to _Lochlan_ as a girl's name. It would catch everyone off guard, but that would simply cause her to become a nonconformist."

Jareth stood from his throne and walked toward the side door. "I'm too fatigued for these games; I need to check on Sarah."

"I love her," Lochlan declared, stopping Jareth in his tracks. "I love Tali, and I told her. It feels magnificent to be open with someone, with her."

"I will gloat over this turn of events later," Jareth said. "But I need to go to Sarah, allowing a reprieve of your long-suffering Tali."

* * *

"Should we have the ceremony here or in my kingdom?" Kalin asked, sitting up in Taggert's bed with a pen and pad of paper in hand. "Obviously, my gardens are superior to yours mostly because you don't have any gardens, but you do have the clearing in the woods that would be absolutely charming."

"Lean back a little," Taggert ordered, ignoring her question. She did as he requested, allowing her to rest against his bare chest as he kissed her neck.

"My inclination is to have a large ceremony, but nothing will compare to Sarah's," Kalin stated, seemingly unaffected by his attention. "And I think I like the idea of usurping everyone's expectations of me."

Taggert said nothing as he placed a kiss on the shell of her ear.

"Are you even paying attention to any of my ideas?" she scoffed, exasperated by his lack of input.

"My kingdom has trees; yours has a garden," he mumbled. "You are also considering the idea of a small ceremony. Now, lie down."

Kalin pushed against his chest and scooted away from him. "Fine. You have excellent listening skills, but I need to get all my ideas down before I forget. How is our announcement supposed to be declared again?"

"Tell the Palace," Taggert grumbled as he stood up from the bed. "They handle all official notices on such matters."

Kalin stopped her notetaking to watch her fiancé walk away from her. He ambled over to a small table near the wall in his chambers that held a tea set. He opened the lid to peer inside.

"Damn," he said, running his hands through his long hair before grabbing the pot and walking to the door. "Completely out."

Kalin sighed loudly, yet keeping her mouth shut, as she watched Taggert leave the room, completely naked. This was a terrible habit that he has, at least in her mind. No one in his castle remarked on his wandering around nude, in centaur and fae form. Either those in the castle know better to not say anything, or they are completely desensitized to it. _Probably the latter_ , she thought to herself. After several minutes, Taggert returned with a full pot of tea, pouring two cups before returning to the bed.

"I don't want you to be in your fae form for the wedding," Kalin stated. "I realize that you say you don't care or that you are doing it for my benefit, but I want you to be your true self when we get married."

"Hm," he thought as he handed her a cup. "Haven't really given it much thought." Taggert slowly sunk into bed, taking proper care to not spill any liquid. "If that's what you want."

"Please take some sort of interest in this, Taggert," she implored. "I'm trying to make you a part of this process."

"If you want me to choose something, I will," Taggert said. "If you want me to not be in fae form, then I will do as such. I want you to be happy. So whatever you wish for the ceremony, I will make it happen."

"And what do you wish for this ceremony?"

"To marry you," he said, kissing her on the forehead. "And copious amounts of Goblin Ale. Write that down. In bold, broad letters."

Kalin snickered as she wrote down his one demand. Someone knocked on the door, earning a groan from Taggert.

"I just sat down," he muttered as he trundled to the door. He opened the door to see a centaur guard. "Something wrong?"

"Devin wishes to see you, Sire. He said it was critical," the guard answered.

Taggert transformed into his centaur form. He looked over to Kalin who was quickly putting on her clothes.

"Kalin, where are you going?" he asked.

"No way are you going to keep me out of this one. I'm tired of being out of the loop," she said as she magically buttoned up her gown. She marched passed Taggert and his guard and walked out of the room.

"Stop being so slow, Taggert. Let's go."

* * *

"Are you done trying to keep me captive in this room?" Sarah moaned as strong hands massaged her shoulders. "I promise I won't run away."

"You can leave this room when I allow you to," Jareth teased. He released a sigh as his hands kneaded her back. "Are you still angry with me?"

"I wasn't angry with you in the first place," she stated. "Just… slightly annoyed. Okay. Very annoyed. Also, I took a short nap while you were gone. But, I'm feeling better now."

"Does this mean that you need to sleep every few hours for the upcoming days?" he asked. "You'll be of no use to me if you are sleeping all the time."

"Shut up," Sarah laughed. "Sleeping is the best."

"The best, you say?" Jareth asked, nuzzling her neck. "Clearly, I've been derelict in my duties."

"You've been busy," she said as she playfully swatted him away. "We all are busy."

"That's not a good enough reason," he said. "I should always find time for you, and you for me. Mostly you should time for me."

"Ha. Ha," she said dryly. "You are so funny."

"I wasn't joking," Jareth muttered as he moved her hair to the side, placing a kiss on her shoulder.

"You spend most of the morning yelling at me and now you're going to try this?" Sarah said, trying to not to laugh as she felt his lips trail up her neck.

"You deserved all my ire," he stated. Moving to the side, he gently pushed her into the mattress. Sarah sighed as she felt his lips on the shell of her ear.

Sarah and Jareth both went still as the sound of her rumbling stomach echoed throughout the room. She turned her head to see Jareth's annoyed face looking back at her. The sight of his obvious displeasure made her laugh. Jareth huffed out his annoyance as he stood up from the bed.

"Could you get me something to eat?" Sarah asked as she watched him place gloves on his hands.

"Already on my way," Jareth grumbled before walking out of the room.

* * *

Taggert walked until he entered his throne room, stopping to take note of the odd sight.

"Who the hell is this?" Kalin asked behind him. Taggert turned his head to glare at her, showing his displeasure at her outburst in his throne room. Apologetically, she pursed her lips and lowered her head. "Sorry for that."

Taggert grabbed Kalin's hand and walked them to his dais. Unlike other royals in the Court, he didn't have a throne. Instead, he had a wooden dais covered in the finest fabrics known to the Underground. Because of Kalin's influence, he recently added large cushions- mostly for her comfort.

Walking to his dais, Taggert closely observed the muzzled prisoner being held by his general, Devin. "Who the hell is this?" he asked, sitting down with Kalin beside him.

The shackled prisoner shambled forward only to have the chain around his neck pulled forcefully back- nearly causing his neck to snap.

"I didn't address you," Taggert sneered as he turned his attention back to Devin. "Going to answer my question?"

"We found him in Philyra," Devin explained. "You would assume that he would at least attempt to hide himself, but he was just wandering around like a blockhead."

The prisoner tried to speak over the towel wrapped around his mouth yet failing.

"Remove the restraint from his mouth," Taggert ordered.

"He looks familiar," Kalin muttered under her breath. "Filthy but familiar."

"From where?" Taggert asked her.

"The Palace," the prisoner answered once his gagged was removed.

"Forget your place one more time," Taggert warned. "And you'll be turned into a welcome mat to be placed at the door to our jousting matches."

"He matched the description of those faes running from the Palace," Devin said. "So, yes, he's a former Palace guard."

"Do you want me to believe that a former Palace guard was careless enough to walk around with no disguise?" Taggert guessed. "When he knows that he's being hunted?"

The prisoner didn't say anything in response.

"You may answer the question," Taggert stated.

"I wasn't being careless," he said. "I did it on purpose."

"I assume you're not Sawyer," Taggert said.

"You are correct," he replied. "Name's Roux."

* * *

"Ow!" Toby yelled as his foot got caught on a rock in the ground. "Can't we take a break? And where is that other guy?"

"Probably dead," Sawyer stated as he hauled Toby by the arm.

"Well, that escalated quickly," he muttered.

"I don't need to explain myself to you," Sawyer said.

"Why are you being so dismissive about him being gone?" Toby asked. "He's the only one who can put up with you."

"Has no one in your life told you the virtue of keeping your mouth shut?" he said.

"They did, but I doubt they would consider it a virtue if I was kidnapped by a lunatic," Toby said.

Sawyer stopped walking and rounded on Toby. "Call me crazy one more time," he dared the human.

Toby gulped loudly yet otherwise kept his mouth shut.

"Good boy," Sawyer said as he began walking again. After over eight hours of walking, the duo arrived at the base of a hill and stopped.

"What are we doing here?" Toby asked.

* * *

Taggert raked his fingers through his hair in frustration as he eyed the prisoner. His castle prison has rarely been used during his reign, thankfully. The prison was grimy, and he hated that he had to spend this much time down there.

"Where is he?" Taggert asked again.

"I already told you," Roux answered. "I'm not going to tell you anything. I'll only speak to the Goblin King." Being shackled to the wall by his hands and feet didn't deter his attitude.

A spike of anger hit Taggert as he raised his arm to strike the prisoner. However, a firm yet gentle hand grabbed him, stopping him. His anger transformed to shock when he turned around to see Kalin standing there.

"You've been down here for hours," she pointed out. "And this place is filthy. Take him to Jareth."

"I'm not taking him to Jareth," Taggert countered. "He has been evading capture for months, yet now, he finally missteps and gets himself captured?"

Kalin exhaled deeply as her shoulders slumped. "Give me an hour to warn them. Okay? You've gotten nowhere by staying down here with him. After I warn them, you bring him to the Goblin Kingdom."

"All right," he conceded with a nod. "One hour." Taggert dipped his head to give her a kiss, but Kalin recoiled.

"This place is horrid," she said before turning and walking away. "I'm not kissing you here."

"Nice to know who wear the trousers in that relationship," Roux joked. "I guess you can't really wear trousers, can you? Being part horse and all."

The last thing he remembered before the world around him went black a sharp taste of blood in his mouth.

* * *

"What's this?" Sarah asked as she bit into the odd concoction.

"Shouldn't you wait for the answer before eating it?" Jareth asked. Sarah shrugged as she took another bite.

"It reminds me of a tortilla," she commented.

"It's called khubz," Tali answered as she brushed the excess flour from her hands onto a towel. "My father taught my mother how to make these, and then she taught me."

"This is good," Sarah mumbled through her chewing. "You should make more."

"The wait time is going to be a few hours," Tali informed her. "I didn't expect you to eat them this quickly."

"Simply make them with magic," Jareth said as he ripped off a piece of bread that Sarah was holding.

"It doesn't taste the same," Tali explained. "You have to make it by hand."

"Is that what your mother told you?" he asked. Tali answered with a nod. "She was only trying to get you out of her hair for a few hours; it's a convenient excuse parents give their children."

Sarah elbowed him in the side as Tali rolled her eyes.

"Maybe so," Tali said. "But I've tried it both ways, and I still think it's better made by hand."

Jareth held up his hand to create a crystal that transformed into the flat bread. He tore off a piece of his creation and plopped into his mouth.

"Taste just was good to me," he smirked.

"Whatever," Tali muttered as she walking toward the back of the kitchen to the pantries.

A loud knock on the heavy kitchen doors startled the trio.

"Come in," Sarah called out, but the food in her mouth made her command hard to understand.

"Enter!" Jareth ordered as he gave her a disparaging look.

"This place is madness," Kalin complained as she walked in the door. "Avitus didn't even escort me down here."

Sarah swallowed a piece of bread before clearing her throat. "Congratulations on your engagement! I promise I was going to come see you after all this goes away."

"Yes, yes, yes," Kalin waved off any concern. "We can talk about these things later, but we have a small problem. Actually, it might not be a problem- could be an opportunity. You know, Tag-"

"What are you going on about?" Jareth asked, tired of her ramblings already.

"Sawyer's accomplice was found wandering the Centaur kingdom," she explained. "He refuses to say anything until he is allowed an audience with you." Kalin pointed to Jareth.

"Why you?" Sarah wondered. "Why not me?"

"It's my electric personality, obviously," he sneered.

"Actually, he wants to see you both but speak only with Jareth," Kalin clarified.

"How long has Taggert been holding him?" Sarah asked.

"Um, several hours; maybe six or seven… or eight," she answered.

"What? And you just now came to me with this," Sarah said.

"Taggert didn't want to acquiesce to any of his demands," Kalin defended. "And if it wasn't for me, Taggert would still be down there trying to make that fae talk."

"Oh god," Sarah moaned as she rubbed her hands across her face. "Fine. Bring him here."

"Pardon me, _Your Excellency._ Yes, you are ruler of the Court," Jareth said. "Nevertheless, this is my kingdom to decide what happens."

"Fine. What do you want to have done?" she asked. "Since this is your castle."

"Bring him to the throne room," he told Kalin. "Maybe we can get some answers."

* * *

"Aren't you above personally transporting criminals?" Jareth asked Taggert as he sat in his throne. Although he was talking to the Centaur king, his attention didn't leave the bound and gagged prisoner standing in front of him.

"I wanted to ensure he got here," Taggert answered. "Also, I'm just as interested to hear what he has to say."

Roux made a loud muffled noise through the towel that was stuffed in his mouth.

"Seems as though your new friend has something he has something he wishes to say," Lochlan stated as he walked into the throne room.

"Where's Sarah?" Jareth asked.

"How the bloody hell should I know?" Lochlan countered. "I'm not her shadow."

"You were supposed to stay with her," Jareth argued as he made his way to the prisoner.

"She's not a child," Lochlan scoffed.

Taggert cleared his throat loudly, gathering the two siblings' attention.

"I believe we have more pressing matters," Taggert said as he pushed the prisoner to the stone floor. The prisoner scream of pain as his knees hit the ground was muffled by the ball of fabric in his mouth.

"You seem to be in pain," the voice of a dispassionate Sarah rang through the room. "Sucks to be you."

Jareth was about to start to argue with her. "What are you-"

"This is no time to discuss this," Sarah said as she leaned against the threshold. "Plus, he said he wished to see me. So, let's hear what he has to say."

Lest everyone start to yell at each other anew, Taggert quickly removed the cloth from his mouth.

"Ah, that was not comfortable at all," Roux said as he stretched out his jaw.

"Your comfort is the least of our concerns," Jareth stated as he grabbed Roux by the shirt, hoisting him up to his feet.

"It's so nice to finally meet all of you," Roux strained to say. "Finally putting faces to all the names."

"Enough with all these _pithy_ remarks," Lochlan said. "Why did you demand to come here?"

"I wished to speak to the Goblin King- only," Roux demanded tersely. He turned his attention to Sarah and his mood lighted dramatically. "And Her Majesty. You look lovely today, if I may say."

Sarah frowned at him.

"Do you really believe you can continue that you can continue to make demands of us?" Jareth asked. "Of me?"

"I've been living with a bunch of faes out in the wilderness for a few months now," Roux explained. "I'm not really frightened of whatever you have in store of me."

"Taggert, Lochlan, step outside," Jareth stated.

"After all of this, and I'm going to be dismissed like a child," Taggert complained. Lochlan stood firm in his stance, refusing to leave.

"Leave. Now," Sarah ordered as she finally left her post to walk into the room.

Jareth looked at her with a critical scowl as she stood beside him.

"Have it your way," Lochlan muttered as he walked out of the room. "Follow me, Roan."

"I should have sent someone else in my place," Taggert complained before leaving. "And call me Roan one more time, and I'll hoof you in the ass."

When the two of them left, Roux decided it was the best time to speak up.

"I'm so happy those two are gone," Roux said with a sigh of relief.

Sarah balled up her fist, reared her arm back, and solidly punched him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Where is my brother?" Sarah yelled. Jareth quickly grabbed her around her shoulders and pulled her away from Roux.

"You promised you would be calm," he hissed in her ear.

"But he has my brother," she bit back as she resisted in his arms. Roux lay splayed out on the floor. He pushed his bound hands against the floor to push himself against the floor to sit up.

"I think it's clear that I don't have the human," Roux said as he shook his head to gained some sort of clarity. He was shocked for a moment when he felt blood flow from his nose.

"Then where is he?" Sarah asked again, still being held back by Jareth.

Roux breathed in deeply before letting out an extremely loud whistle that caused Jareth and Sarah to bring their hands up to cover their ears.

"What the hell was that?" Sarah asked.

* * *

A high pitched noise drifted through the air as Sawyer and Toby sat at the base of the dune.

"What was that?" Toby asked. Before he could ask any more questions, the human was roughly snatched by the arm and hauled to his feet. "What the-"

"No more talk from you," Sawyer hissed as he brought a knife to Toby's throat. "I'm tired of having to listen to your useless yapping. Now, move."

The two of them marched up the hill until they arrived at the top, allowing them to overlook the Labyrinth and the castle.

"Wanted to see them so badly? Now, you can," Sawyer stated as he pressed the knife further against Toby's throat as he formed a white crystal with his other hand.

* * *

A small orb floated through the window into the throne room. It floated through the air until it landed on the ground, right in front of Roux.

"I think that is for you," he told Jareth.

Jareth reached down to pick up the crystal as Sarah walked over to stand next to him.

"What is it?" she asked. They both peered into the orb to see Sawyer holding Toby at knife point as they stood on a hill. "Toby! Are they out there now?" Sarah ran to the window to see if she could spot her brother.

"Sarah, come back here," Jareth stated as he continued to look at the orb. She rushed back to his side as he held up the sphere for her to see.

"Let us in, Goblin King," Sawyer was seen yelling inside the crystal.

"Are they in here?" she asked as seized the crystal from his hand.

"No. They're outside the Labyrinth walls, aren't they?" Jareth said as he turned his glare to Roux. "Your sole purpose was to confirm that I was here, wasn't it?"

"Surprise," Roux sarcastically said.

In the blink of an eye, Jareth reached down, grabbing his iron knife located inside his boot, marched up to Roux, and slashed the his throat, ear to ear. Roux's eyes widened in surprise as a veil of blood cascaded from his throat. Roux's neck lobbed to the side before his body slumped to the ground.

"Oh shit," Sarah whispered as she stared at him as he stood, with knife in hand, over the deceased body. "Jareth-"

"We are going to continue with our plan," Jareth said calmly as he cleaned his knife with a handkerchief he magically produced. "Avitus!"

Within seconds, the advisor appeared in the throne room and immediately inhaled deeply at the grizzly scene.

"Go into the Goblin City," Jareth ordered, ignoring his advisor's discomfort. "Ensure everyone is indoors, and that they stay inside. When you're done, tell everyone in the castle to stay in their rooms."

Knowing this was not the time to bring up the fact that there is a dead body on the floor, Avitus gave a bow before disappearing.

"What are you planning to do with Roux," Sarah said as she stayed close to the wall. "He wasn't part of the plan."

"He certainly is now," Jareth stated as he walked over to her. "And you will stay hidden when Sawyer arrives."

"But-"

Jareth leveled a glare at her. "Did you not agree to do as I say when we finally had to deal with Sawyer?"

"Yeah, but I was supposed to have three days to come to terms with that agreement," she admitted as her eyes drifted over to the body lying on the ground. Jareth grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Find Lochlan," he instructed. "I'm letting Sawyer in."

Sarah let out a shaky breath as she gave him a slow nod. "Just give me my brother back."

* * *

Sawyer stood on the hilltop before the Labyrinth, continuing his potentially fatal hold on Toby.

Suddenly, a loud groan emanated from the maze as a long opening formed, cutting straight through the Labyrinth for easy access to the castle.

"See?" Sawyer smirked as he pushed Toby forward. "I told you that you would be useful."

"Awesome," Toby muttered, straining to speak against the blade. "Glad to be of help."

Walking slowly and carefully, Sawyer kept looking behind him to confirm that he wasn't being followed. A few hours have passed and, to Toby, it seemed like they haven't moved much.

"This is taking forever," Toby complained. Sawyer had relaxed the knife against his throat as they continued their walk. "The sun is already going down. Why didn't you take us there with magic? All this walking sucks."

"I want them to know how serious I am," Sawyer admitted. "Make no mistake, human. I'll end your life in the blink of an eye if anyone tries to interfere."

"That's good to know," Toby mumbled as he continued to be pushed forward through the makeshift passageway.

* * *

"What is taking him so long?" Sarah complained as she paced in the kitchen. A worried Tali and Kalin looked on, not sure of what to tell her. "Why is he _walking_ the entire way up? There is no magical shield. He can just show up and get this over with, whatever _this_ is."

"Does anyone want him to simply appear in the castle?" Tali asked. "If anything, he'll be exhausted by the time he gets here. I would think that would be better."

"Nothing like an exhausted, insane individual holding your brother hostage," Sarah said as she massaged the back of her neck.

"Taggert is in one of the drawing rooms," Kalin said as she clapped her hands together, hopping to break up the tension. "You can have a cup of tea. Or some whiskey. Or have both at the same time. The possibilities are endless."

"You two can go," Sarah said as she walked toward the door.

"But where are you going?" Tali asked. Sarah turned around to look at her lady-in-waiting but said nothing. "Okay so, you agreed to stay away, but you're going to ignore that part of the agreement."

"And if you are planning to confront your enemy, do so in better clothes," Kalin added as she took in Sarah's shabby appearance.

"I agreed to stay out of the way," Sarah said. "And I will. But, I can still see what's going on without being seen by Sawyer- or Jareth."

Tali marched past Sarah to open the door, waiting for her Queen to join her.

"And what are you doing?" Kalin asked.

"I'm nosy also," Tali admitted. "I want to see what's happening as well."

Sarah smiled for a moment before walking out the door.

Kalin rolled her eyes at the fact that she was the one left in the kitchen. "Fine. I guess I'm the only one who prefers tea and whiskey."

* * *

"He's coming up to the castle," Lochlan stated as he looked out the throne room window.

"It's about bloody time," Jareth grumbled as he sat up in his throne. "How many hours has it been?"

"Enough for you to fall asleep," he pointed out. "And don't start with that nonsense about briefly closing your eyes. You actually fell asleep. However, I understand. There's an extremely tranquil energy in the air, especially with this body on the ground that you refuse to move, and a crazed fae walking into your castle. I'd probably sleep as well if I was in your position."

"Quiet," Jareth said. "I covered the body, did I not?"

Lochlan looked over at the large swath of fabric on the ground. "I stand corrected. That changes everything."

"Move to the side," Jareth said. He flicked his wrist causing the large doors to the throne room to open.

* * *

Sawyer jumped back as the large doors opened, nicking Toby's throat.

"Ow!" Toby exclaimed. He tried to run away from Sawyer but was promptly dragged back as the knife went back to his throat.

"Do come in," a voice said inside the throne room. "I've been waiting quite a while for your arrival."

Sawyer's feet hobbled a bit as he scooted him and Toby around the large door toward the entrance to the throne room. He walked through the threshold to see Jareth lounging in his throne. A small shuffling sound caught his attention to the Unseelie King leaning against the wall.

"You're late," Lochlan said.

"We took the scenic route," Toby mumbled. Lochlan took a step toward the two of them, but Sawyer quickly backed away.

"No. You don't come any closer," Sawyer warned. "If you do, I'll snap the human's neck."

"Let him go," Jareth said as he stood from his throne. "Your only quarrel is with me."

"The moment I let him go is the moment you strike me dead," Sawyer countered.

"Don't insult me," Jareth scoffed. "I would never do anything as foolish as killing you immediately. Where's the fun in that?"

"I didn't come here to play games!" Sawyer barked out as he moved the knife further up Toby's chin. Toby made his throat taunt in response to the now familiar feeling of the blade pressed against his skin.

"Then tell me why you're here," Jareth said calmly, hoping not to raise the ire of the fae who held Toby hostage.

"I want you to leave," Sawyer simply stated.

"That's an incredibly rude thing to ask of me," Jareth said as he stood from his throne. "You come to my kingdom, into my throne room, and tell me that I'm the one that needs to leave."

"You think you're so clever? Don't you?" Sawyer seethed. "And that's how you got into the good graces of the Queen? You plans to bring down the Seelie Court are transparent."

Lochlan let out an undignified snort before covering his face with his hand, trying not to show how ridiculous he found the situation.

"According to you," Jareth said. "I decided to wait over two thousand years, two wars, and years in exile to exact whatever revenge plan you believe I have. And yet, even though I have taken no action following the death of Oberon, you believe I'm still waiting for my chance to take over the Seelie throne. I assume I should be flattered."

"And why is that?" Sawyer asked.

"Of all the vices you could attribute to my brother," Lochlan proclaimed. "Overly ambitious is not one I would use."

"You expect me to listen to you?" Sawyer asked.

"Unlike you," Jareth continued as he cautiously approached the wild eyed fae who was still holding Toby. "I see some use in human creations. After giving it some thought, I believe what you are doing is what they call psychological projection."

"What?" Sawyer asked in a frustrated huff. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Psychology projection," Jareth repeated. "It occurs when someone defends himself against his own unpleasant impulses by denying their existence while attributing them to others."

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "I have no desire to be King of the Seelies, unlike you."

"I have done many things in my life," Jareth admitted as he stopped a few feet away from Sawyer and Toby. "But I have never sent someone off to die and then give no care to his whereabouts." He gestured with his head to the ground where a large shawl was covering an object. Sawyer looked over to see the object and knew exactly who it was.

"He knew what the consequences were," Sawyer said defending his actions.

"And you call me untrustworthy," Lochlan muttered.

"Quite!" Sawyer yelled at the Unseelie King. His arm went around Toby's neck as his hand with the knife pointed at Lochlan. "No one asked you to even be here!"

"The same could be said of you," Jareth countered, finding it hard to keep his temper in check. "You're upset that the object of your desire for all these years was sent away only to return with not only no interest in you but barely knows who you are or what you do."

"Shut up," Sawyer said as his chokehold on Toby intensified.

"I think you've upset him," Toby struggled to say as he felt the pointed end of the blade press against his lower throat.

Yet, Jareth didn't cease his verbal attacks. "That's why you went through all this trouble, all this grief. You could handle her betrothal to Seelie prince, but once you knew she would rather have than you-"

"Shut. Up," Sawyer demanded. Unbeknownst to Sawyer, Lochlan was circling behind him toward the still open doors to the throne room. "You have ruined everything," Sawyer continued. "This Court used to be about order- everything in its proper place."

"You would be the perfect successor to Oberon," Jareth seethed. "Killing anyone and everyone in your way yet claiming you are on the side of law and order. Is that what you were thinking when you ripped out chunks of Odhran's leg or filled Brexton's body with iron or sent your _friend_ off to die?"

"They were building blocks that got me here," Sawyer rationalized. "And that's all I wanted. Now, where is she?"

"Sarah?" Jareth clarified as he raised an eyebrow. "Why would I bring her down here?"

"She wishes to see her human, yes?" Sawyer said as he pulled Toby's neck back to display the previous cuts he made on his neck. At the sight of Toby's abuse, Jareth's eyes flashed black before returning their normal color. "There it is," Sawyer said. "More proof of how you don't deserve to be by her side, let alone in the Seelie Court. Oberon was correct to call you both an abomination."

Enraged, Jareth created a crystal and took one step toward Sawyer before his attention went elsewhere.

"Sawyer, that's your name, yes?" a quiet yet resolved voice called out. Everyone in the room turned to see Sarah slowly walk into the room.

"Hey, Sarah," Toby choked out.

"Hey, Tobes," she said back giving him a small smile. Sarah turned her attention to Sawyer. "Please, let him go."

"You know who I am," Sawyer hissed. "He was lying when he said that you didn't."

"I do now," she admitted. "You've ensured that we all know your name."

"No. Before. Before all this, you knew me," he rambled. "You knew _me_ , but you decide to forgo a proper mate and brought darkness into the Court."

"Sarah, you promised you would not be here," Jareth hissed to her as she walked into the throne room.

"I'm sorry that you went through all this trouble because you thought that something was when it wasn't," Sarah told Sawyer, ignoring Jareth. "I care about everyone in the Palace, but that doesn't mean I knew you."

"No," Sawyer defied, shaking his head as he took a step back, dragging Toby with him. "No. No, that's not true. You cared for me; I saw it in your eyes… Every day… you would stop by my post to see me."

"Your post was to guard Oberon's office," Sarah stated. "I remember that. I was there to see my father. If the door was shut, he either wasn't there, or he wasn't to be disturbed."

Sawyer said nothing as Sarah continued to walk carefully toward him.

"Sarah," Jareth muttered in trepidation but kept still.

"That's why I would walk by and say nothing," she said. "There was nothing to say."

"So all of this is simply your form of rebellion," Sawyer claimed as his voice rose higher than normal. "You're still upset that you were ignored as a child; therefore, you lash out by aligning yourself with this creature."

Toby release a tense groan as the knife pierced his skin, the feeling of blood trickling down his neck making him nauseous.

"Maybe," Sarah said softly, her voice croaking as she saw her brother in pain. She stopped right in front of the pair. She had to ignore the look of worry in Toby's eyes in order to focus on Sawyer. Jareth and Lochlan stood their ground, fearing that any movement they made would cause adverse reactions. "You might be right. Only child syndrome could be a real thing, but that doesn't mean you should hurt Toby. We can talk about this without him here."

"I just wanted you to notice me, to care about me," Sawyer confessed as his voice began to break. "Yet you disregarded me- you ignore your people- in favor of _him_." His breathing became heavy and erratic. He removed the knife from Toby's neck to shakily point it at Jareth, who was still standing several yards behind her. "To have his children? How much attention do you need?"

Sarah's mood transformed from scared to furious in a split second, but, unlike Jareth, she wouldn't let Sawyer's words visibly affect her.

"What can I say," she said calmly. "Oberon can really fuck up a person." Without warning, Sarah reached out, grabbing his hand that held the knife. Sawyer cried out in pain as intense heat shot up his arm, causing him to fall backwards on the ground. When Sarah released her hold on Sawyer, Toby ran into her arms.

"Toby, run!" she yelled as she pushed him to the side door and followed close behind him.

Even though he was in intense pain, Sawyer formed a small shield around him in enough time to block Lochlan and Jareth's magical attacks.

Jareth looked back to see that Sarah had run off to safety.

"This is the time you choose to be a coward?" Jareth taunted as he circled Sawyer.

"Enough of this teasing," Lochlan spat as he tightly held a dark crystal in his hand.

Before he could respond, Jareth felt the sharp pain in his abdomen before he registered what was the cause of it. As though the world itself slowed down around him, he looked down to see a knife protruding from his torso before his attention was pulled away by the sound of Lochlan falling to the ground as he let out a cry of pain. Jareth's vision toggled in and out of focus as he observed Sawyer run out of the throne room and, presumably, into the Goblin City. Jareth dropped to his knees as he spoke an incantation while forming a crystal. When he was finished speaking, he smashed the orb into the ground as powerful magic radiated throughout the castle and into the Labyrinth.

* * *

Sarah stood in the drawing room as she and Toby held each other close, trying to ignore everyone else yelling at her lack of judgment.

"Why did you let her go out there?" Kalin asked Tali, giving Sarah's ears a break.

"What did you want me to do?" Tali countered. "Yell for her as she walked out there? That was not the time to have an argument."

"What was the last thing you saw before you came back here?" Taggert inquired.

"Sawyer was on the ground with Lochlan and Jareth about to attack him," she answered. Now that she had a reprieve from the barge of questions, she turned her attention to Toby, gingerly observing his wounds. "Are you okay? Oh god, I can't believe he did this to you."

"I'm fine; just a little sore," he answered.

"Come here," Tali said as she carefully wrapped her hands around his throat. Blue light emanated from her hands, healing his wounds.

"Wow, that's way better than aspirin," Toby marveled. Without warning, a powerful magical force overcame all of them causing them all too nearly lose their footing.

"What the hell was that?" Toby asked.

"Jareth put up the magical shield," Sarah answered as she moved to walk out the door.

"Why would he do that?" Kalin asked as she and everyone else followed Sarah.

"Part of the plan, kind of," Sarah called back as she marched down the hall. "If something went wrong, he would trap Sawyer here. So, that means something went wrong."

"Why on earth would you to keep Sawyer here?" Toby asked.

* * *

Jareth pulled out the long knife from his stomach, gritting his teeth as the blade came out. He collapsed on the floor as he finally ridden himself of the cursed object. Lochlan ran over to him when he saw his brother fall as soon as he got rid of his obnoxious knife in the arm. He ripped Jareth's shirt open to see a nasty, gaping wound.

"It's not closing," Lochlan said as panic rose in his voice.

"That's because it was an iron knife," Jareth wheezed out. "I assume you weren't so lucky."

"Seems he hates you more," Lochlan stated, his eyes not leaving the sight of Jareth's injury. "I'll find Tali; don't move."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he answered with a cough.

Before Lochlan could leave through the side door of the throne room, Sarah walked in with Toby and Tali beside her.

"Shit! Jareth!" she cried out, rushing to his side. When she reached him, she dropped to her knees next to him. "Are you okay? You don't look okay. What happened? Where's Sawyer?" Jareth brought a slender finger up to her lips to silence her.

"My ears are ringing," he complained. "None of that helps."

Tali kneeled on the other side of him, picking up the knife that was now covered in his blood.

"It's just an iron knife," she huffed out.

"That's a good thing?" Kalin asked from the entrance to the throne room. Taggert held her and Toby back since he didn't want either one of them to get in the way.

Tali's hands glowed blue as she placed them on Jareth's abdomen. "Considering what Sawyer has done in the past- yes."

"What do you have to do?" Sarah asked as she gazed down at Jareth was struggling to keep his eyes open. She held his limp hand in hers as she placed a kiss on the back of his hand.

"Pull the iron poisoned blood out of his body," she replied as she stood up.

"Cool," Toby whispered. "It's like a reverse waterfall."

As Tali rose to her feet, the blood from Jareth's body followed her glowing hands. Beads of sweat formed on her brow as she struggled to pull the iron from his body.

"Does that seem like a lot of blood to you?" Kalin whispered to Taggert, trying not to become sick at the sight.

Tali pulled away from Jareth's body, the foul liquid encased in her magical energy following her. She pulled one arm back, forcing it all into a large ball, until she compressed it into a medium sized crystal.

"I think I got it all out," she breathed out as she visibly struggled to stay standing. Lochlan hurried to her before gathering her in his arms. Her eyes were drawn, and she lost a lot of color in her face, making her appear sickly.

"I'm fine," she reassured him. "No one said doing that was an easy task. I just need to lie down for a while."

"Jareth," Sarah whispered to him as he lay on the stone floor. "Jareth?"

"There's still ringing in my ears," he said slowly as he opened his eyes to look up at him.

Sarah let out a small laugh before turning her mouth into a sly smile. "Are you just saying that so I'll stop talking?"

"I don't know why both of those can't be true," he groaned as he quickly sat up.

"You shouldn't be moving," Tali called out. "Do you realize all I had to do to you so you didn't die? You can't just walk around like everything is normal."

"Sawyer is out there," Jareth announced as he stood up, foregoing Sarah's help. "I can't simply let him play around in my kingdom unsupervised." He created a crystal and held it out to peer into it. A smirked formed on his face.

"What could you possibly find so amusing? Lochlan asked.

"He left the Goblin City," Jareth responded as the crystal disappeared. "Sawyer is about to walk into the Labyrinth."

 

 


	24. Chapter 24

_To forgive is divine  
But vengeance is mine_

* * *

"You're okay," Lochlan whispered as he scooped Tali up in his arms before she fainted. "You'll be fine."

"Bring her to the drawing room," Taggert ordered as Lochlan followed him out of the throne room. Kalin walked over to Toby and grabbed him by the hand to pull him away.

"Come with us," she said. "You should rest as well."

Toby tried to object. "But-"

"Let's. Go," she gritted out.

Sarah stood still and watched as everyone left before confronting Jareth.

"You can't go out there. Not right now," Sarah implored. "You look drained, tired. You never look tired."

Jareth looked up at the ceiling as he inhaled deeply. "There's no reason to delay the inevitable."

"Did you forget that you just had iron ripped out of you?" she pointed out. "You're weakened. And if Sawyer sees you now, he'll know it."

"While he's in the Labyrinth, I could be half asleep, dreaming about kittens," he said. "No one can defeat me and my Labyrinth."

"I did," Sarah quickly responded.

Jareth turned to face her as he transformed into his Goblin King regalia. "You weren't in the Labyrinth as an enemy, encountering it as a hostile."

Sarah remembered when he told her the true intent behind his mother building the maze. For these many years, it truly had been used as child's play, but not this time.

"Okay. Okay," she conceded with a nod.

"And if I catch you outside this castle," he warned her, as his mouth thinned to a serious expression. "I'll lock you in my highest tower flanked by guards for every hour of the day until I see you can follow orders."

"Can't threaten me, you know," Sarah said crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm ruler over the Court; you're not."

Jareth walked over to her and, when he reached her, he lifted her chin up in order to look directly in her eyes.

"Do you wish to test me?" he asked her.

Sarah paused for a moment as her eyes narrowed. "No," she simply answered.

Jareth lowered his head and placed a small kiss on her lips. When he took a step back, he opened his mouth to say something, but Sarah interrupted him.

"You don't need to call anyone to come get me," she groused as she pulled away from him. "I need to be with Toby anyway."

Before she could walk completely out of his reach, Jareth snatched her arm and pulled her into a close embrace.

"Are you…are you afraid to face Sawyer?" Sarah mumbled into his breastplate.

"Of course not," he refuted. "I'm merely thrilled that you decided to listen to me. You have no idea how much I hate worrying about you." Sarah kissed him quickly on his cheek before walking away without saying anything. Jareth stared at the hallway she exited through for a few moments before turning his attention to Labyrinth.

Jareth peered out the window to see Sawyer leaving the Goblin City, toward the gate. His eyes went black as he reached out with his gloved hand. Rotating his hand slowly, a loud groan emanated from the maze as the walls moved in accordance to Jareth's will.

"What are you doing?" Lochlan asked as he entered the throne room.

Thankfully, Jareth was not distracted by his brother's outburst, even if the question caused him annoyance.

"I could ask you the same thing," Jareth said as he continued his manipulation. He noticed that Sawyer pause at gate, visibly confused by what was occurring around him. When the sound stopped, he continued through the gateway, as though he gave no thought to the movement that occurred around him.

"Why did you turn the Labyrinth around?" Lochlan asked.

"For fun," Jareth smirked as he turned to face his brother. "Again, why are you here?"

"I couldn't stand to let you have all the fun by yourself," he replied.

"I don't need your help," Jareth said. "You should be with Tali."

"The same could be said about you in regard to Sarah," Lochlan said as he walked to the window. "So, enough with this stalling. Where is he?"

* * *

Sawyer ran through the giant gate and turned right without giving much thought to where he was going. He found it odd when he saw the entire maze move as he approached it from the Goblin City, but Sawyer wasn't going to stay still long enough to figure out what was happening. Besides, he was good at puzzles. This was a maze after all- just another puzzle to solve. He hoped that the iron knife would kill the Goblin King, but he doubt just anyone could manipulate these walls. Sawyer slowed his steps before coming to a stop. Or maybe they move on their own. He shook his head, banishing the thought from his mind as he started to run again.

That would be preposterous. He didn't kill the Goblin King, but at least, the incident gave him time to get away.

After several minutes, Sawyer's run became a jog before turning into a walk. Every so often, he would turn around to confirm that he wasn't being followed.

"What type of bloody maze has no turns?" he whispered to himself. Sawyer didn't know how long he has been in this stupid place, but he was shocked that he hasn't come across anyone- not even the Goblin King or his atrocious brother. Sawyer continued to plod along as the seconds turned to minutes. He had no idea how much time went by. The darkened night sky wasn't giving him any comfort.

"Confused about where to go?" a voice that filled the air asked him. Sawyer took out another knife and held it out as he spun in a circle, attempting to figure out where the source was. Although Sawyer had come to terms with the fact that the Goblin King was alive, now that he had concrete proof, part of him was still upset that he survived. "I have better things to do than talk to you in person."

"Hiding away, like a coward," Sawyer taunted.

An annoyed sigh filled the passageway. "I would really like for all of this to be done by dinner," Jareth's voice said. "I would advise you to turn to your left and then turn right."

Sawyer turned to his left to see the same stone wall of the Labyrinth that he had seen for a while now. However, now that he had time to focus, he realized that a magical energy emanated from these stones.

"Turn right, you say?" Sawyer snorted. "As though I would be dumb enough to follow your directions." He walked through the hidden passage and turned left, ignoring Jareth's instructions. Sawyer took one step before the stone floor gave way. He screamed in shock and panic as he fell through the ground.

"Such a pity," Jareth's voice echoed through the hole.

Quickly comprehending that the walls were lined with some sort of overhanging branches, Sawyer hysterically reached out his hands, grasping the plants to stop his fall. However, he soon realized that these were not sturdy tree branches, but rather, a slightly flimsy moss of some kind that broke off when he pulled on it.

"Gah!" he cried out in pain as he struggled to grasp the greenery. Continuing to fall, he tried to get a better hold. Sawyer felt his nails scratching against the rocky wall as he attempted to grab onto the moss. A few nails peeled off as he finally clutched a fist full of the vegetation, halting his fall. He looked up to see the hole he fell through was still open. Peering down, he only saw darkness which didn't allow him to see how far he was from the ground. He reached up to grab another bunch of moss, hoping he could climb his way out. Ignoring the sickly feeling of the blood from his fingertips running down his hands, he successfully pulled himself up several feet, taking a rest before trying again.

A distanced screech of a bird echoed through the hole causing Sawyer to look up, wondering if he could see what was causing that noise. The bird swooped down into the hole and then perched on a stone near Sawyer that jutted out of the wall. The osprey turned its head to the side as it seemed to consider Sawyer's current state.

Sawyer was certain that this was either Lochlan or Jareth. Against his better judgment, he sneered in its face.

"Wanted a closer look?" Sawyer huffed out as he reached up to grab onto more greenery. "Nothing else better to do?"

When Sawyer got a hold of the moss, the osprey pecked his right hand, causing him to let go. Now, he was only holding on with one hand as he dangled against the wall.

"Ow! You bloody bird," he cursed. His right hand attempted to grab onto the moss, but he was pecked again. This time, the bird didn't stop as it continued to peck at both his hands.

Sawyer tried to ignore the pain as the bird pecks cut deeper into his flesh. However, the bird was causing him too much pain.

"Blasted bird," he snarled before his hands slipped as he fell again.

Not having to fall as long as before, he hit the ground like a rag doll. Sawyer cried out in pain before he nearly choked on the dirt that swirled around him. He lifted up his head to observe his new surroundings. He was in a cave of some sort with only a few lit torches on the wall which provided the little light that illuminated the area. His palms dug into the floor as he struggled to lift himself to his feet.

"How do I get out of here?" he wondered aloud.

"If I tell you how to get out again, will you listen this time?"

Sawyer spun around, regretting his quick actions when he felt his back crack in resistance. The Goblin King stood several feet in front of him, wearing an imposing outfit that Sawyer had never seen before.

"Am I to believe that you this way was any better than the other?" he countered. "I could have fallen into a lake of filled with kelpie or a questing beast!"

"Don't be absurd," Jareth scoffed. "The Questing beast is on the other side of the Labyrinth."

Sawyer glared at Jareth as his heavy breathing filled the otherwise still air of the cave. "You wish to kill me, don't you? So, just get it over with!"

A small pitying smile formed on Jareth's lips as he approached Sawyer.

"My bloodlust was quenched with Roux," he admitted. "But you- I plan to have a little fun, and you should too. This is a game after all: winners and losers. There's always a way out of this."

"And how is that?"

"By solving my Labyrinth, of course," Jareth answered.

"That's all I have to do? Get through this blasted thing, and you'll let me go?" Sawyer said.

"You make it sound so simple," he said. "Only one other individual defeated this place. Not in your most elaborate dreams would you match her in strength or will."

"It's just a maze- just a game."

Jareth looked at Sawyer's still bleeding hands. "You've must have played your fair share of _games_ as a child. Maybe that explains why you are this way."

"Do not speak on things which you know nothing about," Sawyer warned.

"Did I hit a nerve?" Jareth asked as he raised an eyebrow. He began to slowly circle around him. "Does all this madness arise out of some desperate need for attention?"

"Shut up," Sawyer said, standing his ground, trying to act unaffected.

"It's so difficult for faes to have children that one would think that every child would be treated well by their parents," Jareth surmised. "But, it's clear that yours did not."

"Are you going to help me get out of here, or did you come here to talk about me?"

"Certainly not the former," he answered.

"Then, you are of no use to me," Sawyer mumbled as he walked down the cave. However, Jareth appeared in front of him, preventing him from moving forward.

"Is that how you view people? Whether or not they have use for you?" Jareth questioned.

"Why do you even care?"

"I find you mildly interesting. There are very few individuals such as yourself in the Underground," Jareth explained. "What sort of _use_ was Sarah to you?"

Sawyer's face turned bright red as he glared into Jareth's eyes. "You love throwing her in my face, don't you?"

"It's a button I like to push," Jareth sneered. Sawyer lifted up his arm and took a swing at Jareth, but his fist only hit air. A haughty chuckle caused Sawyer to turn around.

"You're barely worth my time," Jareth said. "Why would I physically be here, with you, in this horrid place? Faes love illusions as you know."

"You- you are a bizarre fae," Sawyer gritted out. "What was the point of all this?"

"A distraction," Jareth stated as he faded away.

Sawyer felt the rumbling underneath his feet before he saw anything. The sound of insect wings beating and a distinct hissing sound cause Sawyer's heart to palpitate in fear and uncertainty. However, he was unable to leave, wanting to see what could be the source of all this noise. The torches on the tunnel walls that were previous cold, alighted to expose what was coming toward him.

"Shit!" he yelled as he quickly turned to run away from the thousands of scarab beetles tumbled toward him.

Sawyer took a right when a fork in the tunnel presented itself. Even though he thought his head start would give him enough room between him and the creatures chasing him, he felt the rumbling of the ground intensified with every step he took. Curiosity got the better of him as he turned his head to the side and immediately saw several hundred beetles crawling up the wall and flying behind him. He didn't need to know what these creatures would do if they caught up to him to realize that he must find a way to run faster. The sweat pouring down his face and the pain in his legs didn't slow him down as he took a sharp left down another dark corridor.

Suddenly, the feeling of small legs crawling up his back affected him his running, causing him to lose his footing a couple of times. The beetles bit into his back as he struggled to swat them off his body. A sliver of moonlight could be seen in the distance giving Sawyer hope that he would not be eaten alive by these wretched bugs. As he got closer to the source of light, he noticed that the light had to come from another corridor. Turning right, he was accosted by the low level of light, since he was in the cave for so long. However, he kept his running pace as his eyes grew accustomed to the change in scenery. The pathway changed to stairs causing Sawyer to release a curse, knowing that going up these steps slowed his speed. But, he could now smell fresh air for the first time in a while. Ignoring the biting on his backs and the horde of beetles behind him, Sawyer ran up the steps as fast as he could. He began to panic when he noticed that the stairway narrowed as he traveled further up the steps. He looked up to the origin of the light and saw that the exit to this hell-hole appeared smaller than he originally thought it was.

"No, no, no," Sawyer huffed, hoping that he could still escape. He cried out in pain as more beetles crawled on his back and legs, biting at his neck and ankles. He ran up the steps but noticed before it was too late that he had to jump to reach the opening in the ceiling. With the little strength he had left, Sawyer jumped from the final step, reaching out with both hands to grasp onto the ledge, his way out of this cave.

"Gah!" he yelled in pain as his hands held tightly to the stone opening. He looked behind him as all the beetles that were following him fell into the pit below, even though he still had to suffer through the pain of the beetles on his back. Sawyer pulled himself up as he finally nearly dragged himself out of the cave. His arms gave way as he fell on his stomach; the beetles on his back fading to dust.

"Hello," an amused, nasally voice said to him.

Sawyer lifted his head off the sand stone ground to see who was talking to him as a strong, sour smell hit him before he could see who was talking to him. He was taken aback by her gleaming golden eyes and pointed teeth that were present as she smiled at him. Dressed in a simple brown dress, she had brown, thick hair that reached past her elbows. Curiously enough, the woman appeared to have a light layer of visible hair all over her body.

"Oh," she said looking down at his hands. She reached out to touch his hand. "You look hurt-"

"Don't bloody touch me!" Sawyer yelled as he struggled to rise to his feet. The warm smile that was previously on her face twisted into a frown.

"I was only trying to help!" she snarled as her body began to transform.

Sawyer took a few steps back as the woman hunched her shoulders, the clothes on her body falling away. The woman transformed into a large hyena that stood tall on its back legs, the previously golden eyes, now glowed red. Her small mouth morphed into a large muzzle as her mouth snarled at the fae.

"Oh. Damn," Sawyer whispered to himself as he walked backward, the hyena stalking towards him.

* * *

Jareth chuckled as he sat in the window of his throne room, looking into a crystal. Lochlan paced back and forth, shooting annoyed glances at his brother.

"Having a grand ole time?" Lochlan questioned.

Jareth ceased his laughter as he turned to his brother, giving him a frown. "And why should I not find joy in this turn of events? This fool actually found a buda that was willing to help him, and now, due to his foolhardiness, he's being chased by a hyena. How could you not find amusement in that?"

"We should be out there," Lochlan countered. "At least, let me deal with him. Why are we lounging around here?"

"I already let you out of your cage for a while. We are allowing the Labyrinth to do what it was meant to do," Jareth stated as he returned his attentions to the crystal. "You want to get your hands dirty for no reason. A little patience goes a long way."

Lochlan sighed. "You're one to talk about patience."

"Just wait," Jareth said. "I'll let you out to play again. I promise."

Lochlan's only response was a grumble.

"If you can't be patient, take a walk around the castle or off a cliff," Jareth suggested. "Better use of your time than having to listening to you complain."

"I'm not-"

"Yes, you are," Jareth countered. "This is the first time I'm not interfering with a run. If you're not interested in how _my_ labyrinth plays out, then there are enough rooms in this castle for you to barricade yourself in. Stay or go. But if you stay, I forbid you from annoying me."

"Arguing about how best to torture that irrational fae?" Taggert asked as he walked into the throne room, biting into a piece of bread he held in his hand. "Somehow, you two can always find a way to be at each other's neck. Must be a skill passed through your genes."

"I thought you said you would watch Sarah," Jareth said with irritation in his voice.

"She's stuck in a room with Tali and Kalin," he answered. "If she's able to escape their prying eyes, Sarah deserves a medal."

* * *

"I should be insulted," Sarah remarked as she scrutinized the guards stationed outside the castle below her balcony. "Why does he think I need to be guarded?"

"Probably because you placed yourself between Jareth and that nut job, scaring Jareth to death," Kalin said from inside the room. "And, because you told him you would stay still before and didn't listen. Also-"

"Ok!" Sarah snapped. "I get your point. But I can't see anything that's happening. They must not be in this area of the Labyrinth."

"Will the guards know it was me if I spit and it falls on their head?" Toby asked as he stood next to Sarah, leaning over the guard rail.

"Gross," Sarah said, grabbing him by the back of the collar, pulling him away from the railing. "And I don't need all of you guys in here. There are guards posted outside my room as well."

"Considering you are supposed to be lying down, but you aren't," Tali said sarcastically. "I'm sure you would do as you were told if we all weren't here."

Sarah gave her lady-in-waiting a disparaging glare. "I don't need this snarky tone right now."

"Too bad," Tali said as she pulled the blankets on Sarah and Jareth's bed. "Now, lie down and think about something else."

Sarah crossed her arms over her chest as she refused to do as she was told. She opened her mouth, about to say something. However, Tali cut her off.

"Don't make me get Jareth," Tali threatened. "And you know that he will stop whatever he's doing in order to come here."

"No, he won't," Sarah scoffed as she padded toward the bed, even though she thought otherwise.

"So, is this what you do all day?" Toby asked as he followed Sarah into the room. "Lie around and complain all day?"

Tali snorted while Kalin merely rolled her eyes before sitting in the chair near the bed. However, Sarah gave Toby a glare that caused him to stop in his tracks.

"I was just joking?" he said as his voice rose, hoping to tepid any angry reaction that she may have.

"Shut up and sit down," Sarah ordered as pointed to the edge of the bed. Toby shuffled to the bed, knowing that nothing good would come from it.

"Are you going to yell at me?" he asked. "It seems like you are going to yell at me."

"Oh, this is going to get interesting," Kalin said as she walked toward the door. She opened it, catching the attentions of both guards. "Could you bring us some tea and some snacks?"

"I'll get it," Tali said as she walked out the door. She turned around to give Kalin a leveled stare. "Don't let her leave."

"Of course not, _mother_ ," Kalin smirked. She walked over the seating area and sat down, pretending as though she didn't care what was happening around her. Sarah shook her head at the blatant actions that Kalin took to appear not interested.

"Anyway," Sarah said. "I'm not angry with you, I promise." She reached out to give him a hug as he responded in kind. "I'm just happy you are okay. I can't imagine how scared you were."

"I wasn't scared," Toby said, shrugging off her concern.

"Really?" Sarah asked, not believing him.

"Well, maybe I was a little," he confessed.

"How did they get you?" she asked.

"Sawyer and that other guy were waiting in my room," Toby explained. Suddenly, reality hit him. "Oh shit! Mom and Dad must be freaking out? Wait- did they make mom and dad forget me?"

"No. And they definitely have not forgotten you," Sarah said as she held out her hand. The missing child letter that Avitus brought from Above sat in her hand. Toby grabbed it from her.

"Oh man," he whined. "Why did they have to use this picture? I haven't worn braces in a year. There has to be other pictures of me."

"Seriously?" Sarah said, shaking her head. "There are more important things to worry about."

"How am I going to explain this to them?" Toby asked. "Are you going to tell them about this place?"

Sarah was quiet for a moment, staring at blankets. "I don't know."

* * *

His breathing labored, Sawyer kept his frantic pace as the creature continued to chase him. He felt as though he was going in circles as he traversed the sandstone maze. As he hurried down the corridor, Sawyer turned left only to be met with a dead end. Frantically, he spun around to see how far away the creature was from him, but he was met with a wall instead.

"Wh-What?" he wondered aloud, trying to catch his breath. "I just came from there."

A loud crash against the wall made him to take a few steps back. Clawing on the wall and a low snarl let Sawyer know that he was still being followed. He threw his hands in the air in exasperation, not knowing what else he could do while trapped within these four walls. Before he could curse his misfortune to the sky, Sawyer noticed something different out of the corner of his eye: a passageway where there previously wasn't.

"This place," he muttered. "Sucks."

"Take that back," a voice boomed, startling him. Sawyer scowled but knew better than to say anything more as he started down the newly revealed path.

* * *

"You said that you wouldn't interfere!" Lochlan yelled. "The buda nearly had him! And you let him escape!"

"Did I not already tell you that you are free to leave?" Jareth snapped as he lounged in his throne.

Lochlan released a frustrated growl as he leaned against a wall.

"I must admit that I am a bit surprised by your attitude toward all this," Taggert said as he held a glass of goblin ale in his hand. "Especially since that cretin embedded an iron knife into your stomach."

Jareth briefly rested his hand on his abdomen before returning his attention to his chalice of goblin ale as he formed another crystal.

"Everyone believes that hatred must be met with hatred," Jareth said as he gazed at his chalice. "Nothing withers a soul more than apathy. He's not worth my emotions. Not yet."

"Does that make you feel better?" Taggert asked Lochlan as he handed the Unseelie King a drink.

"No," Lochlan answered in a petulant manner, snatching his glass from the Centaur King. He took a gulp before giving Taggert a conciliatory look. "Thank you."

"No worries," Taggert replied as he slapped him on the back.

"And why in the bloody hell are you cheerful?" Lochlan asked.

"Why aren't you?" Taggert countered. "I don't know what this Labyrinth does, but I doubt it's easy to solve. Sawyer's trapped. Your brother knows where that useless fae is at all times. No need to worry about something that is already under control."

Lochlan gave the centaur a pointed stare. "I'll have you know that your general attitude and disposition tends to rub me the wrong way."

"I know," Taggert said with a smile.

"Both of you, quiet," Jareth ordered, sitting up in his throne, gazing into his crystal. "He's heading for the Royal Groves."

* * *

Sawyer decided he no longer needed to run after the sounded from that hyena shapeshifter faded away. Sweat poured down his face even though the daylight slipped away hours ago, but he all but given up on trying to keep himself dry. His priority now was to get out of this maze alive.

 _As though that will happen_ , he ruefully thought to himself.

But regardless of his fate, he wasn't going to give up or lie down and die. Sawyer walked for a little while longer until he noticed a pathway that broke off to the right. However, the pathway leading straight ahead to an area that consisted of a tree canopy that stretched above the walls of the Labyrinth. This intrigued him more. He was tired of walking. His body needed a break, and what better way than to rest against a tree. He walked under the archway and stepped into the grove. The grove seemed vast, much larger than he previously thought. Nevertheless, right now, he was ecstatic to see a small group of peach trees, nestled together away from the other trees. Running for one's life tended to induce great pangs of hunger.

"I've never been this happy to see a piece of fruit in my life," he exhaled, reaching up to pick off a peach. Sawyer bit into the fruit, relishing the taste in his mouth. He looked around squinting to see the other trees around him now that he didn't have the aid of daylight. A single Lotus tree was planted directly across from the peach tree grove. It was large and imposing; its fruit was plentiful and enticing, yet he knew better than to go anywhere near that tree.

Sawyer had never seen one in person, only heard about it in lore. _Clever,_ Sawyer thought. He thought the idea of having that particular tree in a maze was a truly cunning idea. According to legend, whoever ate of the lotus tree would forget his friends and family, losing his desire to return home in favor of living in idleness. Not keen on the idea that he was in the same area with a tree such as that, Sawyer turned around, wanting to return back from where he came. He cursed when he saw that the doorway he entered was now closed.

"Damn. Just damn," he whispered.

Sawyer continued to walk through the grove, hoping to find a simple way out. At least, the pebbled walkway was clear and unobstructive. His thoughts briefly considered what other sinister trees were planted here. The Lotus tree couldn't be the only one like that in here. Maybe the peach tree was placed near the entrance in order to entice someone inside.

"This bloody thing keeps changing," he moaned, shaking his head. Sawyer walked a few feet coming to a stop; his attention caught by an unusual tree whose features he could see clearly, even in the dark. His mouth twisted into a frown as he slowly approached the tree. The trunk of the tree appeared normal if not horribly twisted and warped from years of growth and abuse. However, the base of the tree is not what caught Sawyer's attention.

"What the hell?" Sawyer breathed as he cautiously grasped the fruit that hanged from the tree. He turned the plump fruit over in his hand. "Shit!" he exclaimed, dropping the fruit. The fruit was the same color of peach. However that's where the similarities ended. The surface of the fruit resembled a face, complete with eyes, nose, and mouth. Even though it appeared to be laughing at him, no sounds came out of it- a face frozen in laughter, staring at him. He took a step back to gawk at the rest of the tree and noticed that all the fruit on the tree appeared to be an array of faces, laughing in merriment.

"Bizarre tree, isn't it?" a calm voice behind him asked. Sawyer reeled around to see Lochlan standing in the pathway, gazing up at the tree instead of him. "My mother brought it from Above. I believe she called it a Jinmenju. I could be wrong about that. At the time, I was in the habit of blocking out her stories."

"What do you want?" Sawyer challenged as he took two steps back. Lochlan walked toward him but stopped to pick up the fruit that Sawyer dropped on the ground. He stared at Sawyer as he took a bit out of the fruit.

"You shouldn't let the fact that it looks like a human face stop you from eating it," Lochlan commented between chews. "It's quite pleasant."

"Have the two of you grown tired of watching me flail about?" Sawyer asked, suspiciously. "Decided it would be better to finish me off?"

Lochlan took one last bite of the odd fruit before tossing it back on the ground. "Don't tempt me," he warned. "I made a promise to not harm you, and I always keep my promises. Also, I've never been in the Labyrinth when someone was running it. This is exhilarating."

"Why are you here?" Sawyer asked as he felt a bit more emboldened.

Lochlan's mouth turned into a sly smile as humor danced across his features. "I believe the question you should be asking is what happened the last time one of us appeared in this Labyrinth."

Sawyer's face fell as his anxiety rose. His mouth went dry as his breathing quickly turned around in a circle, dreading any new intruders that were about to come out of nowhere. But he didn't see or hear anything. He turned to Lochlan.

"Liar," he accused as he walked passed the Unseelie King, continuing on the pathway.

"Watch out for the roots," Lochlan called out. "It's rude to hit them."

Sawyer scowled as he continued on his way, ignoring whatever useless insult that he was sure that Unseelie yelled at him. Nothing was coming after him, and he wasted too much time indulging that inferior king. Sawyer continued the ranting in his own head for a while as he made his way down the pebbled path until he approached a fork in the road.

"Gah! Why can't this place have one simple path?" Sawyer complained.

"It's a maze, you idiot," Jareth's voice echoed throughout the air.

"I know it's a maze!" Sawyer cried out to the sky. He rubbed his dirt and blood encrusted hands over his face, immediately regretting that decision.

"If it makes any difference, you're almost there," Lochlan whispered into Sawyer's ear, startling him. Sawyer spun around as he recoiled from Lochlan.

"And what reason do I have to believe you?" Sawyer asked.

Lochlan appeared to consider the question before shrugging it off. "You don't." Unexpectedly, Lochlan disappeared, leaving Sawyer alone again.

"I went right last time," Sawyer reasoned out loud. "At least, I believe I did. Might as well go left."

* * *

"I can't believe you put all these restrictions on me," Lochlan protested when he appeared in the throne room. "He was right in front of me. So easy to plunge a knife into his neck-"

"Your lack of patience has turned from slightly intolerable to outright maddening," Jareth said as he stood from his throne to walk toward the window.

"Why did you stop observing him in your crystal?" Taggert questioned, ignoring Lochlan's mini-rant.

"I know where he's going," Jareth said as he gazed upon his Labyrinth. "We'll hear from him soon."

* * *

Sawyer's rising nerves made him move from a walk to a jog. He found a nice running pace as he felt a wind on his back. Although nothing was behind him, he was anxious thinking that at any moment, something would run after him. Sawyer was tired of being in this place. If what he heard was correct, his time in this retched place would soon be over. As he continued his swift pace, he had no idea what he would do once he got out of here, but his weeks in the wilderness was luxury compared to the hours he spent in this maze.

The tall trees where thinning out, causing Sawyer to think that he was near the exit to the grove.

"Oh, thank the Fate- Argh!"

Sawyer tripped over several large roots in the road which made him fall of the pebbled pavement, his ragged hands breaking his fall.

"Dammit," he cursed as he inspecting his bleeding palms. He felt a throbbing in his knee before inspecting his left knee and seeing a cut open, dirt and blood intermingling.

A hissing noise startled Sawyer from the pain in his leg. The hissing intensified as it became clear that there was more than one creature causing that sound. A chill ran up his spine as he slowly turned around to see three massive silver-eyed cobras hovering over him; there fangs visible through their closed mouths. Their hoods were extended as they stared at him in the posturing position, setting themselves up nearly six feet high.

"Shit!" he exclaimed as he jumped to his feet and ran. One of the cobras struck the area he was resting before all three chased after him. Against his better judgment, Sawyer peaked over his shoulder as he ran, only to see three monstrous snakes closing in on him. He noticed that he was approaching another fork in the road. He picked up his pace, hoping that one of these roads would lead him out of there and away from those creatures.

A sharp pain emanated from his shoulder as he felt a set of fangs embed deep into his shoulder. The snake latched onto him, tackling him as the other snakes circled Sawyer's body. Sawyer's head hit the ground, and he swore he heard his skull crack before feeling his body being lifted in the air. Dizziness nearly overcame him as the snake's large body coiled around his own. He went in and out of consciousness as the pressure around him intensified as the only thing he could see was a pair of silver eyes staring back.

"Drop him," a calm, almost bored voice ordered the snake. A series of growling hisses rang out as the grip around Sawyer's torso strengthened.

"Don't make me repeat myself," the voice said, still in a calm manner. The pressure around Sawyer disappeared as he fell on the ground.

Sawyer struggled to open his eyes for a moment, but when he was finally able to open them fully, he observed the Goblin King chiding the oversized cobras, like a parent reprimanding a child.

"When I tell you to do something, I expect it to be done," he said to the reptiles. The cobras lowered their bodies in deference as their hoods retracted from their previously extended state.

"He kicked usssss," one of the snakes hissed as it turned its beady eyes to Sawyer. Jareth walked over to block the cobras' view of Sawyer. "Sssuch dissssrespect cannot be tolerated."

"And you believe I would permit such insolence to stand?" Jareth countered. The snakes said nothing as they kept their heads lowered. "Go back to your nest. You've done your part."

The snakes paused for a moment, giving one last glance at the battered fae, before leaving the two alone.

"Those three are those most kind, curious creatures in my Labyrinth," Jareth said as he sauntered toward Sawyer. "You do have a way with everyone you meet, don't you?"

" _Kind_?" Sawyer spat. "They nearly killed me!"

"Yes, they did," Jareth acknowledged. "And you're welcome. I'm not an expert in reptiles, but I doubt any such individual would take kindly to be kicked."

"I didn't kick anyone! I tripped over some overgrown roots in the road," he said.

"Ah, yes, those. Those _roots_ are actually nagas in disguise. Sleeping because there are appallingly lazy," Jareth explained. "If I'm not mistaken, you were warned to watch your step."

Sawyer struggled to pull himself up to sit.

"Having trouble?" Jareth asked which provoked a glare from Sawyer. When he was finally able to sit up, his wounds became apparent. The naga got a nice clean bite into his shoulder. Blood was still flowing out of it. "Nasty bite you have there." He produced a crystal and rolled it across his hands before holding it out to the ailing fae. "Do you want it?"

"I don't want anything from you," Sawyer grounded out as he shakily stood on his feet.

Jareth's face fell into a grim expression as he made the crystal disappear. "Your pride will literally be the death of you."

"Is that how it works around here?" he asked. "Anyone can wonder through here, get bitten by giant snakes, and then die of poisoning?"

"This area is closed off during a normal run," Jareth explained. "And you're a fae, remember? The poison coursing through you will only slow you down. I was offering you a healing balm, yet you spat in my face."

"And you expect me to trust that _you_ would help _me_?"

"If my end goal was to have you dead, the nagas could have done that for me," he stated. "Maybe I should have let them relish in their natural instinct, instead of spending my time saving a pompous swine such as you."

Sawyer brought his hand to cover the bit marks on his shoulder. "And why would you help me? Why would I want your help?"

Jareth contemplated him for a while as he approached Sawyer. "You would rather die than accept any assistance from me? Is that why you ignore everything I've told you so far?"

"I would never, ever stoop so low as to accept any help from you or your wretched brother!" Sawyer screamed as he turned around to walk away.

"If you stop walking away from me, I'll place you at the door that will lead you out of the Labyrinth," Jareth offered.

Sawyer slowed his walk as he listened to Jareth's words but sped up, running away from him. Jareth said nothing, watching him for a while before he disappeared from the grove.

Sawyer's resolve was stronger than ever as he ran down the trail, watching carefully for any roots. Not that he believed the Goblin King's words, but he would never accept that deal. There's no way it came without strings attached. Besides, he had principles that would never allow him to accept the Goblin King's gestures. To accept his kindness would be to acknowledge his position and prominence, something Sawyer would never do.

The poison in Sawyer's body slowed his run to a walk. He was feeling sluggish as he neared the edge of the grove. He could see the trees thinning to reveal a section of grassland and a door in the side of a wall. Unable to walk straight, Sawyer's feet fumbled as he let out a sigh of relief, happy to see this come to an end. He continued shuffling to and fro, unable to walk straight. He noticed a grey, nearly white, gnarly root protruding out of the ground. Not wanting to make the same mistake again, he moved a little to the left, avoiding any contact with the tuber.

Sawyer heard an odd creaking noise to his right. He didn't have much time to process the fact that a tree branch was jutting towards him before he fell to the ground. The root that he previously skipped over rose out of the ground and wrapped around right leg as the another branch wrapped around his neck, constricting his airflow. Sawyer reached into his pocket to pull out a knife. He knew the knife wasn't large enough to cut the branch, but he used it to stab the branch around his neck. The branch slackened, allowing him to pull it off his neck. Before the branch could retreat, Sawyer pulled out his knife out and was shocked to see blood pouring out of the broken stem.

However, Sawyer's small victory was cut short when three more branches thrusted out of its canopy, jabbing Sawyer through both his upper arms and left leg, pinning him to the ground. He let out a bloodcurdling scream as he was impaled by the tree branches. His eyes widened in horror as he saw another branch aimed above him, positioned to hit him in the abdomen. The branch descended but before it could stab him, a large knife swipe at the branch, causing the blood to pour out of it before it flopped to the ground. Sawyer writhed around in pain as the other branches held firm.

"Jubokko," Jareth said as he came into Sawyer's view, holding the blood soaked knife. "A tree that feeds on the blood of anyone who passes by it. As you know by now, its branches consist of blood." He coldly observed Sawyer's state: three limbs embedded in his arms and one leg, pulling blood out of him. "You'll die if you don't accept my help."

Sawyer grimaced but said nothing in response. Instead, he spat blood in Jareth's direction. However, Jareth stepped back, avoiding any contact.

"Such a pity," Jareth said before fading from view. When Jareth disappeared, a jubokko branch returned as it plunged toward Sawyer as his horrified screams echoed through the grove before the area went silent once again.

* * *

"I'll have you know that it was an absolute chore keeping him in here," Taggert said when Jareth appeared in the throne room.

"What were you thinking?" Lochlan fumed, storming toward his brother. "Offering him help? Giving him a way out?"

Not responding, Jareth walked passed the duo while cleaning his knife with a white piece of cloth.

"Are you not going to answer me?"

Jareth spun around, glaring at Lochlan. Wanting nothing to do with this conflict, Taggert quietly left through the side door.

"I wasn't born yesterday," Jareth snapped. "Every step of the way, I knew he would defy me, ignore everything I said."

"Then why bother yourself with such theatrics?" Lochlan asked, not understanding any of his brother's reasoning.

"Because," Jareth said as he looked at away for a moment before turning his attention back to his brother. "No one has ever died in the Labyrinth. If I was going to sentence that cretin to one of the most horrible deaths that my kingdom offers, I wanted to ensure that he had no redemption left in his soul."

"And if he did show any remorse, what were you planning to do with him?" Lochlan asked. "Let him go?"

"Of course not," Jareth scoffed as he left the room.

* * *

"I'm hungry," Toby complained as he huddled next to Sarah in bed. The two were left alone after Kalin dragged Tali nearly two hours ago to an empty room within the castle to discuss her wedding planning ideas, much to Tali's consternation.

"Seriously, how are you so removed from what happened to you?" Sarah asked. "All you've been doing is talking about trivial things."

Toby sat up, turning a bit to look at her. "I don't want to think about it, okay? I just want everything to go back to normal. I wanna play games again and complain to you about stupid crap. That's what I want to do."

Sarah frowned for a moment before giving him an apologetic smile. "I wasn't thinking about that. I'm sorry. If Jareth doesn't come back in another half hour, we'll go raid the kitchens. Also, we need to think about the best way of getting you home."

"I wonder what's going on out there," Toby asked. Sarah let out a sigh as she allowed her mind to wander for a brief moment.

"Sometimes, ignorance is bliss, Tobes," she stated.

"You went through it," he said. "Was it really that bad?"

"The Labyrinth is a large entity," Sarah explained. "I didn't encounter all the things that I know are in there."

"How do you know what's in there?"

"There's a collection of large leather bound book in Jareth's office," she said. "It's like a census of everything that lives in the Labyrinth. It's amazing yet terrifying to think of all those creatures in that place."

"Ooh! What's the grossest thing you saw in that book?" Toby asked, ecstatic to hear any gory details.

Sarah opened her mouth briefly but then closed it, only to look at her brother with befuddled amusement.

"Are there giant slugs that will drown you in their slime?" Toby wondered. "Oh! Oh! Or someone who gives you directions, but every time he opens his mouth a flood of saliva comes out?"

"What is wrong with you?" Sarah asked him, her face scrunched in disgust.

"He's a curious boy with an active imagination," Jareth said as he walked through the door. He was no longer dressed in this Goblin King regalia. "Albeit, a troublingly, uncultured imagination."

Toby jumped out of the bed, running toward Jareth, nearly tackling him as he gave him an enormous hug. Jareth was taken aback by his enthusiasm for a moment before returning the gesture.

"The last time I saw you, you had a bunch of crap pulled out of your body," Toby said, his voice muffled against Jareth's shirt.

"That was a bit dramatic, wasn't it?" Jareth said as his eyes settled on Sarah. "We need to send him home."

"And how are we going to explain that he was kidnapped and taken to a world that hardly anyone believes exist?" Sarah asked.

"Sending me back already? Aren't you going to tell me what happened while we were stuck in this guarded room?"

"No," Jareth answered swiftly. "Not all information about this place should be available to you."

"But-"

"No," Sarah and Jareth interjected at the same time.

Toby's arms flopped down to his sides, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Fine," he mumbled as he trudged back to Sarah. "Don't tell me."

"These are things that I will discuss with Sarah, and if she chooses to tell you at a later date, so be it," Jareth concluded.

"What? Why are you putting this all on me?" Sarah complained, causing Jareth to smirk. "I don't appreciate that."

"So how am I getting home? " Toby asked. "Are you going to mess with everyone's memory again?"

"If this didn't involve your parents again, I would consider it," Jareth stated. "Yet, I don't like the idea of manipulating their minds with that amount of magic in a short period of time."

"Are we going to tell them about this place?" Sarah asked.

"Have you considered it before?" Jareth asked.

"A little," she admitted.

"You definitely can't tell them now," Toby emphatically said. "They'll lose their minds."

"Do you have something to propose instead, Tobias?" Jareth inquired, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I kinda got off easy last time when I snuck down here," Toby said with a shrug. "I was wrong for sneaking down here. Just send Above without magically influencing anybody. I'll say I ran away. Just drop me off near the house."

Sarah could barely believe what she was heading. "Toby-"

"I don't want anyone to have their brains messed with," Toby said to her before looking at Jareth. "Right? You made it sound like they would go insane."

"The magic could drive them mad or have no effect at all," Jareth admitted. "It's not that I'll be imbibing them with vast amounts of magic, but their time and space will be influenced as well. I've, personally, never done such a thing twice before on the same person. However, I could try. It would be a nice magic experiment."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Jareth."

Toby shook his head. "I don't want to risk it, not for something that had nothing to do with them. I'll make up a story and be grounded forever. Things could be worse."

Jareth created a crystal and gestured for Toby to stand up. "Are you ready to go?"

"What? Now? What about my promised food?" Toby asked as he reluctant rose to his feet.

"The sooner you go back Above the better," Jareth said. Sarah left the bed to give Toby one last hug.

"I'll see you soon, okay?" she reassured him, still holding on to his shoulders. She gave his shoulders one last squeeze before she stepped away from him. Jareth tossed the crystal at the teenager as Toby became engulfed in light before disappearing.

"Oh, he's in so much trouble," Sarah muttered.

"Come," he said, taking her hand in his. "We have much to discuss."

* * *

The world around Toby went white as he felt himself falling, the ground below him disappearing. After a while, he finally felt something solid beneath his feet. The vacant space around him melted away to reveal that he was once again Aboveground, sitting on the front law of his house. It was night Aboveground as well. The sky was clear, allowing the stars to twinkle bright. Slowly, he rose to his feet, suddenly filled with fear now that he really had to confront his parents. As he walked toward the front porch, a sense of dread almost overwhelmed him.

 _Think of something quick,_ Toby told himself.

He couldn't stay out there all night. Someone was sure to spot him and cause more trouble than he was prepared for. Toby rang the doorbell and then heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. The door opened to reveal his father and mother, shocked to see their child standing in front of him.

"Hey, guys," Toby said in a soft light-hearted manner, giving them a lopsided grin. Karen promptly pushed her husband to the side as she fiercely grabbed Toby, hugging him.

"Tobias Robert Williams," she muttered through tears. "Where have you been?" His father found a way to pull Karen away so he could offer his own bone-crushing hug.

"We were so worried for you," Robert said, fighting his own series of tears. He pulled back and grabbed Toby both sides of his face. "Did someone take you? Are you hurt?"

"Let's get inside," Karen sniffed as she ushered them inside, looking around to see if any neighbors were watching. "We'll make a scene if we stay out here any longer."

"I'm going to call Detective Quinn," Robert said. "Let him know we have Toby."

"Where were you?" Karen asked. This time, her question was stern; although, the quiver in her voice and the puffiness of the cheeks betrayed the fact that she was more relieved than angry.

"I-uh- think I –uh- had one of those fainting spells again," Toby said, trying to think on his feet. "I must have wondered off." While he meant to say that as a statement, it came off as a question.

"Why was your room in nearly destroyed?" Karen asked, not understanding his story.

"Umm," Toby said. He didn't give any thought to that. _Might as well admit that_ , he thought. He gave a little shrug. "I don't know."

Karen was flabbergasted. "What? You don't know! How can that be possible?"

Robert interrupted the minor interrogation when he walked into the room. "The detective will be over here within the hour to ask some questions. He suggested that we take Toby to the hospital after his visit."

Karen said nothing still shocked by what her son was telling her. To stop herself from asking anymore questions that would only bring more confusion, she pointed to the direction of the stairs. "Toby, go to your room. I'll be up shortly and talk some more."

"All right," Toby muttered. He didn't like this outcome, but it was basically what he was expecting to happen. Toby rushed up the stairs and into his room. Opening the door, he was taken aback by what he saw.

 _Yep, this place is trashed_ , he thought as he looked around him.

Toby didn't realize how much he struggled when he was taken. He was about to turn around to go to the bathroom, but something by the window caught his attention. He walked over to the window sill and saw a red crystal resting on a folded piece of linen paper. He picked up the crystal and opened the note.

Toby smiled when he recognized Sarah's penmanship.

_Should you need us_

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are several time jumps in this chapter

_Dearly beloved_  
_We are gathered here today_  
_To get through this thing called “life”_

* * *

 “Go away,” Sarah moaned as she swatted at the air around her before rolling on her side. A gentle finger poking at her side caused her whack the hand away. “What is wrong with you?” she groaned into her pillow as she pulled the blankets over her head. “Bothering me so early in the morning.”

“It’s now the afternoon,” Jareth’s voice rang out, penetrating through the layers of bedding. “I believe I gave you enough time to recover.”

“Go away,” she repeated.

Jareth grabbed the edge of the blankets near her head and pulled them back, exposing her to the cool, autumn air.

Sarah gasped and sat up immediately . “What the hell?”

“Good afternoon, My Queen,” he said with a smile that Sarah wanted to punch.

“I told you that I wanted to sleep in late,” she grumbled as she wiped her hand over her face.

“As I said before,” Jareth said as he walked over to the sitting area, pulling out a chair. “The morning is now gone; it’s the afternoon. _Late_ afternoon.”

Gathering the bed sheets to wrap around her body, Sarah trundled out of bed toward the waiting chair before collapsing. Placed on the table were several plates of food ranging from breakfast to dinner items.

“Mmm, food,” she hummed, grabbing a plate.

“I’m mildly surprised that you are able to walk,” Jareth teased as he sat across from her.

“Very funny,” she said as she continued to place food on her plate. “It’s not as though things got out of hand last night.”

“Are you referring to the events that occurred before or after you decided it would be a good idea to play drunken charades with the goblins?”

That specific memory caused to let out a snort before covering her mouth in laughter as she looked at Jareth’s face, devoid of humor.

“That-That was funny,” Sarah struggled to say as she doubled over in laughter.

“I’m glad you find humor in such triviality,” Jareth groused as he placed food on her plate. “At the time, I wasn’t quite sure I could believe my eyes. Did Lochlan actually team up with several members of the castle staff, guessing if a goblin was pretending to be a goose?”

Sarah let out an uproarious fit of laughter at the mention of last night antics. She wiped the tears of joy from her eyes as her laughter turned into a series of small snorts.

“I still don’t understand why you didn’t want to play,” Sarah said after she finally calmed down.

“Watching various lords and nobles act a fool was enough for me,” he said, taking a bite out of her food.

“Oh, I wish I had a camera,” she chuckled as she bit into a scone. Looking up to see that Jareth still didn’t find humor in the occurrences of last night, Sarah placed her food on the plate and frowned. “Why are you acting like this? Last night was a celebration.”

“Yes, and I believe everyone is still recovering,” Jareth grumbled before biting into a piece of fruit. “I’ve never seen the castle this quiet so late in the day.”

Sarah could barely believe what she was hearing. “Are you now placing yourself in the position of the old guard who claim that things should be done in a certain way-that those of nobility should not conduct themselves in such a manner?”

“I’m not saying that-”

“Are you sure? Because you are sounding like it,” Sarah pointed out, sipping on a cup of tea. “Not use to having so much merrymaking in your castle?”

Jareth’s only response was giving her a glare as he returned his attentions to his plate of food. Sarah groaned inwardly at his childish ways.

“I remember a time not so long ago when you use to say that the Seelie Court consisted of a bunch of sticks in the mud,” Sarah said between chews.

“It is…bizarre to see things in such a way,” he admitted. “Seelie nobles in my castle, carousing and such… This behavior isn’t normal in the slightest.”

“And… that’s a good thing,” she said in earnest. “As dumb as this may sound, we are all moving into an era of, well, an era of peace. You are a part of the Seelie Court. It was your choice to join; I didn’t make you. And last night, the Court welcomed you. The Unseelies have no reason to fight us and vice versa. So, if Lord Egan of the Elves wishes to debate with your brother the usefulness of goblins owning chickens, then I think that is just fine.”

“They argued that bloody issue for two hours,” Jareth countered through clench teeth.

A knock on the door interrupted anything Sarah was about to say. Jareth stood up from his seat and walked over to the door. Opening it, he was stunned to see a disheveled yet annoyed looking Lochlan standing next to Lord Egan.

Jareth gave them both an incredulous look. “What the hell are you two-”

“Is it true that female dwarves can grow beards?” Lochlan asked in a sincere yet stern tone. He pointed to the elf next to him. “This cretin keeps telling me that they can.”

“Have you fools been awake this entire time, debating nonsense?” Jareth muttered.

“You call it nonsense; I call it educating the less informed,” Lord Egan said as he slapped the Unseelie King on the back. Lord Egan appeared just as disheveled as Lochlan, but he seemed downright jovial next to Lochlan. They both still appeared inebriated.

“That’s a lot coming from a known liar,” Lochlan sneered, shrugging off the hand on his back.

Jareth said nothing as he stared at the two noblemen as a burning rage build inside him.

“Not only do I want you two to leave my sight but do not come anywhere near me for the rest of the day. No. For the rest of the month,” Jareth warned before shutting the door in their faces. He turned toward Sarah who was currently shoving a piece of scone in her mouth, trying not to laugh.

“Did you hear that drivel?” Jareth questioned, gesturing to the door. “ _This_ is how our lives are now.”

* * *

 “Toby, is that you?” Karen called out. Toby hoped he could tip toe his way through the house to his room, bypassing his mother’s observant ears.

“Yes, mom,” he mumbled. “It’s me.”

“Come into the kitchen,” she ordered. “So, we can go over that list.”

The teenager released a low growl of frustration as he allowed his bag to slag off his back. His backpack dragged along the ground as he moseyed into the kitchen.

“I had the school send me the list of clubs and extracurricular activities for you to choose from this semester,” Karen stated when he walked into the room.

“What?” Toby asked, shocked that his mom was that sneaky. “If you got the list already, why did you keep bugging me to bring it home?”

“Well, I forgot that I asked one of your teachers already,” she explained as she cut some vegetables by the stove. “Regardless, have you gone over the different activities?”

“Some of them,” he muttered, grabbing the box of orange juice from the fridge. “Do I have to do this? You didn’t care if I was in any stuff last year.”

“Well, last year, you didn’t wonder off and get into so much trouble,” Karen said, looking up from her cooking to give him a pointed stare. “Making me worry so much.”

Toby sighed, trying not rolling his eyes too much. After meeting with the detective and spending several obnoxious hours at the hospital, Toby and his parents returned home, but Karen still didn’t feel at ease with what her family went through. Toby repeatedly said that everything was fine. The fact that no one could find any evidence of harm or wrongdoing bolstered his claims. However, that didn’t mean that Toby’s life would go back to the way it was. Even though his parents promised months ago that they would no longer hire a sitter whenever they weren’t around; unfortunately, he still has a sitter. He was no longer allowed at any sleepovers or overnight activities. Now that the school year was in full-swing, Karen was going to ensure that her son’s school year was going to be productive and more importantly hectic. She was determined to keep him busy.

“So, do you want to hear what I think you should sign up for?” Karen asked.

“Sure,” Toby acquiesced before sipping on his glass of juice.

“Don’t dismiss what I might say,” she said, slightly offended. “I believe I picked out several good activities for you.”

“Like what? Ice Hockey?” he asked.

“Oh please,” Karen scoffed. “I would never want my poor son bruised and beaten.”

 “Hey! Why do I have to be the one bruised?” Toby asked, affronted. “I could rough someone up.”

“Anyway,” she said, trying not to upset her son’s sensitive ego. “I believe the Creative Writing Club and the Yearbook.”

“What?” Toby deadpanned as he set his glass on the counter. “Are you serious?”

“I know you don’t really see yourself this way, but you are a very creative person,” Karen said as she stopped her dinner preparations to turn her attention to her son. “You should move away from those games and put them on paper. If you are in yearbook, you could get into photography not just writing.”

Toby pursed his lips, less than thrilled with the two clubs his mother suggested.

“Okay,” Karen sighed. “If you don’t like these ideas, what did you have in mind?”

Toby looked at the ceiling for a moment. “Umm- the anime club?”

Karen crossed her arms over her chest. “No.”

“Oh, come on,” Toby implored. “What about TV/ Video Club?”

“Creative Writing meets tomorrow after school,” Karen said, returning to her cutting board. “Your father will pick you up when it’s over.”

"Gah! Fine!" Toby groaned as he left the kitchen. He ran up to his room, leaving his door open. That was one of the new rules Karen put into place. Toby dropped his bag next to his desk before pulling out his books. Sitting in his chair, he stared at his clean and empty desk. His computer was now in the living room, no longer allowed in his bedroom. Toby kept the red orb at home, fearful of what might happen if he lost it. However, something was out of place. A folded piece of paper was underneath the red crystal. He reached over, picked it up, and read the familiar penmanship.

_Sorry that you are still under house arrest, Tobes. If you change your mind and want us to help, you know how to reach me. And GOOD LUCK at school!_

_Jareth wants to know if you have your sights set on a girl. Don’t tell him anything. But tell me, okay, because we’re siblings and I deserve to know before him._

_Love you always,_

_Sarah_

Toby snickered as he took the note to a small shoe box that was underneath his bed. Opening the box, he then added it to the other correspondences that he received from his sister. He didn’t have any plan for them, but he knew he couldn’t throw them away.

* * *

 

* * *

 “What are you doing?” The Pixie Queen mumbled into her pillow as one of her eyes peeked to see Taggert standing in front of her window.

“Ah, you’re awake,” he said as he turned toward her. “I was afraid this tea would grow cold.”

“Why are you here?” she asked, not moving from her comfortable position. After the last two weeks, Kalin was inclined to stay in bed for a few days- possible weeks.

“After a joyous few weeks, you still find a way to be surly?” Taggert questioned, approaching the bed. Kalin slowly sat up in bed, glaring at the centaur who interrupted her sleep.

“Didn’t you drink an entire cask of wine? Why are you still standing?” Kalin asked as she rubbed her face with her hands.

“I’m an amazing creature,” he proclaimed with pride as he held out a hand to her. “Come here. I have food as well as tea waiting for you.”

“I guess that’s the least you could do after breaking into my rooms,” she said.

“I didn’t _break in_ ,” he countered.

“Pretty sure I didn’t invite you in,” Kalin remarked.

“Minor details,” Taggert scoffed as he held out a chair for her.

“I’m never drinking with centaurs again,” she groaned as she dropped into the chair.

“You’ve said that before, and I told you to not push yourself,” he teased. “I knew you should have stayed with me last night.”

“I made it back to my castle just fine,” Kalin said. “And everyone was still causing a ruckus when I decided to leave.”

“You call it a ruckus; I call it having a good time,” Taggert said.

“Why are you here?” she muttered. “Shouldn’t you be spending this time cleaning up your castle after last night or should I say this morning?”

“The alcohol clearly has gone to your brain. I have servants for cleaning,” he said as he poured her a cup of tea. “Besides, my castle is a sturdy building. I think you imagined more chaos from last night’s party than what actually occurred.”

“I imagined things?” Kalin asked with incredulity. “Did or did not Jareth win a game of dice against Devin who then decided it was a good idea to smash that large wooden table in protest, like a drunk, whining child?”

“I don’t understand what you find wrong with that,” Taggert said with a shrug. Kalin narrowed her eyes in irritation before taking a sip of her tea. “Listen, the whole point was to show the Queen everything the Centaur Kingdom has to offer. My centaurs were a little cagey after the postponement of the celebrations. So, if that involves a Centaur general drunkenly pestering the Seelie Queen’s fiancé, then so be it.”

“Oh, dear,” she whispered as she shook her head.

“Everything is fine,” Taggert reassured her. “Sarah thought it was hilarious, and I know Jareth does as well.”

“He didn’t look too thrilled last night,” she responded as she finished her cup of tea before pouring another cup. “How would he after being threatened by that overgrown centaur?”

“This morning, Jareth sent via messenger a bottle of Goblin Ale to Devin and a detailed handwritten inscription of the rules of dice,” Taggert explained with a chuckle. “Devin was so mad that he shattered the bottle against the floor. He was still very much drunk.”

“Everyone is so dumb,” Kalin muttered as she bit into her toast.

“You’re just hungover and dehydrated,” he mused, giving her a wink. “Don’t be jealous because the Seelie Queen’s entourage actually had fun in my Kingdom, unlike yours.”

“Hey! It’s not like I knew that a crazed fae would try to kill Jareth,” Kalin protested with a pout. “And my hosting was not boring. It’s was classy.”

Taggert grabbed her hand, examining her fingers for a moment.

“Boring is not a word I would use to describe you,” he told her, displaying a lopsided grin. “And judging from what I’ve seen in that notebook of yours, you’re going to plan an outrageous wedding.”

“Yes, about that,” she said as she took her hand back, placing it in her lap.

“Oh, shit,” Taggert hissed, his eyes dropping to the table. “You really do believe I broke in. You want to call all of this off? Are you that crabby this morning?”

“What? No. That’s crazy,” she said, waving away his concerns. “I-I’m just rethinking my plans. Jareth and Sarah are having a huge affair. I don’t want to have to compete with that. Knowing that I will ultimately be compared to the Seelie Queen’s wedding will drive me mad. I can’t go through that.”

Taggert remained silent, not quite sure how to respond.

“I’m reconsidering your offer of a small ceremony in the woods,” Kalin offered as a small smile formed on her lips. “Plus, it would be much less stress on me.”

“And you’re at your best when you’re not stressed,” Taggert said.

* * *

 

* * *

 Lochlan closed his eyes before releasing a tired sigh. “Why did I believe this would be a good idea?”

“Because you decided that you need to be more, um, managerial,” Tali said as she ambled around the empty room.

“Could you possibly make this ordeal sound more tedious than it already is?” he asked.

“I know you rather sip _poitín_ while watching your elves hunt whatever it is that they hunt, but this needs to be done,” she implored.

“Needs is a strong word,” Lochlan muttered.

“Why must you act like a child?”

“Why do you always ask that question?” he countered.

“I realize that you didn’t need an office before, but that’s changed. If you really don’t believe that you need an office,” she said as she pointed to the letter in his hand. “Then how are you going to proceed when you receive more correspondences from the Seelie Court?”

Lochlan shrugged his shoulders. “Plan to deny it anyway. No need for all this.”

Tali’s arms dropped against her sides. “Do you consider this a good spot for your office or not?”

Lochlan’s eyes squinted as he regarded the room one more time. For weeks, he’s been regretting his decision to allow Tali to observe his daily undertaking as Unseelie King. He never had an office. There was no system in place for recording any important information that someone in his position would normally need. When Tali asked him how he previously dealt with request from his subjects, she frowned when his answer was “If I forget, they’ll ask again if it’s important enough.” When Lochlan told her that he never had an office or a study and did not keep records of his dealings within his kingdom, Tali nearly lost her mind. That sort of disorganization would not do with this half-elf.

The room was large with wooden floors and was situated in the castle so that it received little light throughout the day- one of his requirements when Tali was considering a potential location. There was no furniture, a common occurrence with most of the rooms in the Unseelie Castle.

Lochlan exhaled deeply, still wanting to show his annoyance at the whole process. “I’m sure this will be sufficient.”

“Don’t be that way,” she chastised as she shook her head, slowly walking to the door. “I already told you that I would do all the work in order to set this up. All you had to do was approve of a location. Now that it is done, I can get to work.”

Before she could get to the door, Tali felt her arm being grabbed, pulling her into the Unseelie King’s embrace.

“I never said I wouldn’t help,” he whispered in her ear.

“When I initially brought up the idea for an office,” she said, turning in his arms. “You said that you couldn’t think of a more useless way to spend your time.”

“However, I never said that I would leave you alone with this dreary chore,” Lochlan purred. “I know of countless ways to make this ordeal more interesting.”

“I appreciate your willingness to _help_ , but I must say the idea of you helping me sounds like the worst idea ever,” Tali said as she moved away from him. “I’d rather do it by myself than hear you whine endlessly about how dumb this is. Also, I doubt you’d help much anyway.”

“I don’t whine,” he refuted as he followed her out of the room. “At most, I grumble.”

“It’s nice to know how your revisionist history brain works,” she said, walking the hallway of his castle.

As they walked down the corridors, Lochlan took note of the changes his castle has undergone in the last week or two. Every room was cleaned from top to bottom. The wood floors were polished. The chandeliers were void of the once customary spider webs. Although the colors were still dark and mute, hallway runners were now a staple throughout the corridors, adding patterns and designs to draw away from the darkness. Tali tried to convince Lochlan to allow her to place accent tables throughout the castle. The Unseelie King said no almost immediately. He did have his limits after all.

“Are you planning to leave?” he asked when they entered his throne room.

“I have a friend in the Goblin Kingdom who does carpentry,” Tali answered. “I want to see if he could design a desk for you.”

“I could simple create one,” Lochlan said as he grasped a hold of her wrist. “There’s no reason for you to go through that trouble. I’m sure _he_ will be fine without my business.”

Tali cupped his face in her hands. “Don’t be delusional. And, you are getting your own study, becoming a big boy fae and everything,” she teased. “I want to ensure that it’s perfect.”

“How I put up with your nonsense,” he muttered before leaning down to kiss her lips. “Does this mean that I have you for the rest of the day?”

“I hate to shatter your expectations, but I need to meet with the royal seamstress,” she said. “Fittings and all that. The wedding is less than a month away.”

Lochlan looked down to grab her other hand before lifting it up to place a kiss on her palm. “Are you ever going to give me an answer to my question?”

Tali attempted to pull her hand away, but his grip held her tight. “I said I need to think about it,” she sighed, trying not to laugh at the impatience in his eyes.

“You said that a month ago when I initially asked,” he said with irritation in his voice.

“I just need to put some things into place first,” she demurred.

“And that would be?”

“There’s no reason to discuss this now,” Tali stated.

“Are you truly considering moving into my castle or are you merely delaying the issue?”

“What? No,” she emphatically stated.

“No to which one?”

“I’m not delaying anything,” Tali said. “I promise. But… I really need to go.”

Lochlan said nothing for a moment, still holding  both of her hands. He released her and took a step back. “I expect to see you for dinner tomorrow.”

Tali kissed him on the cheek before disappearing. He stood still for a moment, looking at where she once stood, before turning on his heels and walking to his throne.

* * *

 Cormac shuffled through a small stack of papers, searching for one in particular.

“Did you misplace it?” Sarah asked as she sat behind her desk, staring at the vase filled with few tibouchinas flowers. She’s been adding new plants variants to the royal gardens, much to the consternation of the royal groundkeepers.

“I thought I put them in a particular order, Your Majesty,” he muttered. “Here it is.”

Sarah took the paper from him and mouthed the words silently as she read over it. “Okay. So, this one was at the ambush point outside the Elven Queendom but surrendered before attacking the caravan.”

“And you believe his confession?” Cormac asked.

“Others confessed to attacking,” Sarah said. “And Garrison said there were many who surrendered as soon as they knew they were under attack. There are so many of Sawyer’s supporters that confessed and are throwing themselves at the mercy of the Crown. I’m not going to trouble myself with small details such as whether or not some of these men attacked the caravan or were somewhere else.”

“Are you planning to sentence everyone individually?” Cormac questioned.

“Mass incarcerations are the trademarks of my father and grandmother’s rule,” Sarah answered, leveling her advisor a glare. “These faes will know how long they are being punished and why. I believe I can have the other monarchs take some of the prisoners and hold them. I don't like the idea of all those faes under one roof.”

Cormac gave a conciliatory nod. “Fair enough. Well, you have gone through five of these so far. Nearly fifty more to go. Odhran’s confession should be submitted by the end of day.”

“I am definitely not looking forward to that,” she mumbled as she signed her name to the bottom of the sentencing order.

The door released a small creak, catching Sarah and Cormac’s attention.

“Hello,” Lydia said as her head peaked through the door. “I’m sure you two are having a boat load of fun, but I need to borrow the Queen, please.”

“I’ll finish these tonight,” Sarah told her advisor. “Maybe tomorrow.”

When she departed her office, Sarah’s shoulders slumped, relieved for a moment of reprieve from the stress of having to relive everything that Sawyer caused over a month ago.

“I thought you would be happy get out of there,” Lydia said as they walked down the Palace halls.

“I never thought I would look forward to a dress fitting,” she admitted. Suddenly, a Palace servant ran by, nearly colliding into Sarah.

“Excuse you!” Lydia barked out, causing the servant to stop. He whirled around with a frantic look in his eyes. “You nearly knocked over your Queen!”

“Are you okay?” Sarah asked, concerned with the distraught look in his eyes.

“My apologies, Your Majesty,” the human said as he gave a low bow. “The, uh, Goblin King, uh, is very demanding today. If you would excuse me, I should be going.”

“You’re excused,” Sarah said with concern in her voice. She watched the servant stand to his full height before running away again. After a moment of contemplation, she followed after him.

“That’s the opposite direction of the fitting room,” Lydia cried out as she ran after Sarah.

Ignoring the calls for her, Sarah continued down the corridor, following the servant toward the direction of the Palace ballroom, where the wedding reception would take place. She knew her oh-so-loving fiancé informed her that he would check on the progress of the wedding preparations, but something must be wrong if servants were running around, almost mowing her over. The servant turned the corner and ran down the stairs.

“Wait a minute,” Sarah said to herself as she stopped her movements. “Why am I walking?” In a blink of an eye, she disappeared, leaving Lydia to curse all faes and their ability to vanish right in front of her.

Sarah reappeared in front of the ballroom. The doors were closed, but they did not muffle the shouting that was occurring inside.

“You fools!” a fuming voice bellowed. Sarah tilted her head and looked up at the ceiling as she slowly pondered all the reasons why Jareth was this way and what could possibly cause him so much grief.

“Here we go,” she muttered to herself as she opened one of the doors and walked in. As was expected, various servants were buzzing around as Jareth stood in the middle with his back to her as he yelled out a few orders and many insults.

“You loggerheaded, toad spotted louts!” Jareth barked. “If you are incapable of performing tasks assigned to you properly, then you should consider cleaning out the stables of their mounds of horse shit!”

“Jareth,” she said firmly, causing everyone to come to a standstill. The servants bowed to their Queen immediately, silently thrilled that they received clemency from her fiancé. The quizzical look that was on Sarah’s face turned to a slight frown as she surveyed the ballroom.

The angry scowl that the Palace servants previously believed was permanently etched into the Goblin King’s face transformed into a brilliant smile at the sight of Seelie Queen. Not that they could blame him. Although the servants were tickled whenever she wore her Aboveground clothing, most of them agreed that she radiated as Queen when she wore her gowns.

Before Jareth could say anything, Sarah spoke up.

“What are you doing?”

“Teaching these ruffians how I expect this place to be presented for the reception,” he calmly stated as he walked toward her.

“Wha-Why?” she asked, confusion in her voice. “The wedding is in a month. Besides, I thought you washed your hands of the planning to Lydia?”

“Less than a month away. And after I was briefed on how Lydia planned to set up everything, I decided that she had no idea what she was doing,” Jareth scoffed. “Someone has to ensure this doesn’t turn into an exposition of dreadfulness and failure.”

Sarah closed her eyes and brought her fingers up to her temples, rubbing her skull to stave off a headache. When she opened them again, she noticed that the servants were still bowing.

“You may rise,” she stated, rolling her eyes as they all rose to their full height. “And you are all dismissed.” Jareth opened his mouth to protest, but Sarah cut him off with a pointed stare. “They’re dismissed.”

Attempting to maintain decorum yet exit as quickly as possible, all the servants walked swiftly out of the ballroom, leaving the two monarchs alone. Jareth rubbed a gloved hand over his face as he watched everyone leave.

“That was unnecessary,” he said.

“Everything you’re doing here is unnecessary,” she responded as she looked around the empty room. Circular tables were set up throughout the room with nearly half covered by a dark purple fabric. Her eyes moved to the floor. The regular marble flooring was replaced with a dark wood.  “Did you- did you replace the flooring? And I thought you chose rectangular tables? Why are you doing all of this?”

“Calm yourself, Precious,” Jareth hummed as he reached out to grab her shoulders to massage them.

“You’re joking, right? Telling me to be calm?” Sarah retorted, brushing away his hands. “Do you realize how you were acting?

“I believe I was acting quite normal for a king who had to deal with a room full of fools,” he said, defending himself. Before Sarah could respond, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She looked up to see the crystal chandeliers were replaced with wrought iron chandeliers that held cascading candles. Sarah could barely believe her eyes.

“Let’s talk about this somewhere else,” she said, feeling herself becoming overwhelmed with all the changes done to the ballroom.

* * *

 A knock on the door startled Lydia as she went over the fabrics with the head royal seamstress.

“Enter,” Lydia said, hoping that Sarah finally showed up. When Tali walked through the door, Lydia let out a disgruntled huff. She should have known better. Why would a Queen knock in her own palace.  

“Nice to see you as well,” Tali said as she walked into the room.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that,” Lydia said as she ushered the lady-in-waiting to the small dais. “I’m waiting for Sarah who ran off to find out why everyone was going nuts.”

“Well, you are going to have to deal with me now,” Tali said, stepping up the dais. “I would tell you where she was if I knew.”

Lydia let out a huff. “Well, let’s get this over with for you. It’s difficult to find you as well these past few months. I heard from some people in the Palace that when you are not with Sarah you are at the Unseelie Castle. Some say you might be moving there.”

“Ugh, you shouldn’t engage in Palace gossip,” Tali responded as the seamstress wrapped a section of measuring tape around her waist, the tape suspended in the air by magic

“It’s only gossip if it’s untrue,” Lydia retorted.

“I thought it was considered gossip if something was spoken behind someone’s back?” Tali muttered, gazing down to see the seamstress write down her measurements.

“Whatever,” Lydia shrugged. She then narrowed her eyes to glare Tali. “So, that means the gossip is true?”

“What gossip?” Tali asked, feigning ignorance as she watched the seamstress work.

Lydia quickly slapped the half-elf on the arm. “Don’t pretend to be dim. You’re better than that.”

“Yeah, it’s true,” Tali confessed. “I’m not quite sure what to do; that’s why I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Not knowing what to do is exactly why you should talk about it,” Lydia said as she pulled up a plush chair close to the dais. Lydia sat down in the chair, crossed her legs, and placed her hands in her lap. “Now, talk.”

“I almost told Sarah a week ago, but she seemed busy- as usual. I haven’t told anyone so I guess it could help if I talk about it,” Tali sighed. She pursed her lips as she tried to find the right words. “I-I…ugh! Lochlan requested that I move out of here and move to the Unseelie Castle.” Tali exhaled deeply. Even with the rumors going around, it felt different confirming them outloud.

“The Unseelie Castle?” Lydia repeated as her face squished into itself. “Yuck. Doesn’t that place smell?”

“The smell is not the point!” Tali responded. “And it doesn’t smell…anymore. I fixed that.”

“You fixed that, hm? So, you’ve already put your mark on his place,” Lydia mused. “And he’s letting you. Sounds like you already are heading toward staying there full time. I don’t see why you are hesitant about this issue.”

“That’s not the issue,” Tali replied. “The issue is that I don’t want to make this massive change in my life without letting my mother know. She should meet the individual who I spend so much time with.”

“Oh? Oh,” Lydia whispered as realization dawned on her. “Oh! Lochlan doesn’t do well when it comes to meeting new people.”

“Well, that’s the understatement of the century,” Tali groused. “I was considering doing all this after the wedding.”

“Oh no, that won’t do,” Lydia said, shaking her head.

“Why not?”

“You really expect to hold back that Unseelie fae for another month?” Lydia asked. “Good luck with that, and you will need all the luck you can get.”

“So, I should do this as soon as possible, huh?” Tali asked with a grimace. “Ah, that’s going to be a shit show.”

“A shit show?” Lydia asked, confusion and merriment in her voice.

“Yeah, it’s a common phrase Aboveground,” Tali explained. “Sarah taught me.”

* * *

 “All right, everyone,” Ms. Lillis called out to the classroom filled with nearly fifteen students as she passed out sheets of paper to them. “Due to the basketball game tonight, I only have enough time to give you your new creative writing exercises.”

A student in the back of the room raised her hand. “Do you have our past exercises reviewed?”

“Yes,” Ms. Lillis said, roaming through her satchel for the stack of papers. “If you have any questions and you are going to the game, please don’t ask them there. You won’t understand anything I’m saying over the cheering and vice versa. Just send me an email or find me tomorrow.”

When Toby received the sheet of paper with the new exercise, he groaned. “Write a persuasive paper?” he mumbled to himself before his head dropped to the desk. “Ugh.”

Although he thought his mother was nuts, he went along with her irrational plan for him to join the creative writing club at his school. Ms. Lillis was nice enough. He never had her for a class during normal school hours, and this was just the second week that the club met. Fortunately, it was being cut short by the school’s first home game. Not that he cared about that, but he didn’t want a repeat of last week’s club meeting where half the time was spent going around the room asking people why they wanted to explore their “creative souls,” as Ms. Lillis put it. Toby never rolled his eyes so hard before that day. Last week’s exercise of writing a one page short story from the perspective of a favorite animal only gave him and his fellow students three days to complete and email to her. He was sure his was absolutely horrible. He only gave the assignment two hours of his time. More like an hour and a half after taking time away to stare at a blank sheet of paper. He expected his paper to come back riddled with red marks.

 _Oh, well,_ he thought. _I can finally tell mom that this was a waste of time._

“Toby?” Ms. Lillis voice said, breaking through the exhausted, morose shield of the teenage boy. “Would you like your paper back? Also, you’re the only one left in here.”

Toby’s head popped up. She was right; everyone else was gone. Was he that lost in his thoughts that he drowned out people leaving their desks?

“Uh, thanks… and sorry,” he muttered as he grabbed the paper from her.

“That’s okay,” she said as she returned to the front of the class. “You know, I can tell when someone wants to be a part of this club, and those who reluctantly joined because of others influence.”

“Oh, I, uh, don’t mean to be rude or anything,” Toby apologized.

Ms. Lillis smiled as she placed the satchel across her body. “Don’t doubt yourself, Toby. You have a great imagination and potential if you want to work on it.”

Toby eyes squinted in suspicion before looking down at his previous assignment that she handed him. He was shocked to find that his apprehensions regarding seeing a paper full of red was false. First, Ms. Lillis used purple instead of red. Second, the word “magnificent” was written in the corner.

“Keep it up, Mr. Williams,” she said as she moved toward the door. “You have a talent for something. You really made me care about the relationship between that fox and his tortoise friend. Who knew they had a yearlong fight over whether tea or coffee was better. Also, I need to lock up this room. So, you should leave too.”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, gathering his bag and papers. He gave Ms. Lillis a small smile before he walked out. “Thanks.”

* * *

 “What is wrong with you?” Sarah asked as they walked into one of the Palace’s many parlors. “How did you go from being annoyed at idea of planning anything, let alone a wedding, to running everyone to the ground?”

“You worry too much about this,” he said, dismissing her concern. “That’s why I decided to be in charge of this, not you.”

“Lydia is supposed to be in charge,” she countered as she walked over to the high back plush chair at the opposite end of the room and sat down.

“Lydia doesn’t know what she’s doing,” Jareth refuted, still standing near the door. “Are you done treating me like a child? If so, I’ll return to what I was doing.”

“With that attitude, I’ll treat you like a child,” Sarah snapped. “Sit down, Goblin King.” Jareth’s left eye twitched in annoyance when he heard her call him by that moniker. He sauntered over to the chair across from her with a large wooden coffee table separating them.

Jareth brought his gloved hand to cover his mouth for a moment as he contemplated the limestone floors. “My apologies, Sarah. However, it’s already been said that you shouldn’t concern yourself with these things.”

“It concerns me when I observe my people being yelled at about something as frivolous as reception decorations,” she explains. “And you haven’t told me why you care about this. For the past two months, you’ve been harping on Lydia about every single detail.”

“A month and a half,” he corrected.

“What?”

“I worked on the nurseries for two weeks and then moved on to the wedding,” Jareth clarified.

Sarah shook her head as she covered her mouth, trying to suppress a grin. She forgot that shortly after the induction ceremony of the Goblin Kingdom, she threatened Jareth if he continued to hover over her, watching her every movement. Therefore, he decided to immerse himself in various tasks to take his mind off Sarah and her pregnancy. The nurseries in the Palace and Goblin Castle were completed in a fortnight.

“Why don’t you focus more on Goblin Kingdom issues-”

“I’ve responded to every request my governors and mayors have sent me,” he said. “I continue to hold court once a week. The budget has been handled for the entire Kingdom until the next quarter. Avitus stated that he has never seen my desk so clean.”

“There has to be a middle ground between you being paranoid about everything I do and going full bridezilla on everyone,” Sarah stated.

“Bridezilla?”

“That’s definitely not the part that you should focus on,” she grumbled.

“Such a bizarre word,” he mused, giving her an incredulous look. “How could I not focus on it?”

“Jareth.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose before releasing a sigh. “I believe this is the first time in my life that I’ve begged for a runner to call on me.”

“Halloween will come soon,” she joked. “Some people might wish away their sugar loaded children.”

Sarah stood up causing Jareth to scramble to his feet as she walked over to him. Cupping his head in her hand, she forced him to look into her eyes.

“You need to stop this,” she stated. “You went from bothering me to bothering everyone. Like you said before some weird switch went off in your head: this wedding planning is not that serious.”

“I was wrong,” he admitted. “It’s quite important.”

Sarah dropped her hands as confusion marred her face. “Why? What changed your mind?”

“Seeing the various monarchs and nobles interact at my induction ceremony was a real revelation,” Jareth stated.

Sarah opened her mouth before quickly closing it. Her mouth was having trouble forming the words. “I refuse to believe that you have decided to suddenly care about how others view you and your ability to throw parties.”

“My concern is not how they view me,” he corrected. “My concern is with how others will view you for being with me.”

“What? I don’t-”

“Spare me your outrage, Sarah,” Jareth said as he walked to the door.

“Where are you going? We’re not done talking,” she said.

“In a Palace filled with gossips,” he said as he gestured for her to follow him. “I would rather not talk here.”

* * *

 Lochlan sat at the head of his dining table, as he was accustomed to do. A few minutes ago, a servant placed a plate in front of him. Since he arrived at the Unseelie Castle at the age of thirteen, he has eaten his meals alone since his uncle never cared to eat with anyone, even his own nephew.

His fork tapped against the plate as he absentmindedly ignored his food.

Lochlan turned his attention to the chair to his right, the chair Tali occupied when she visited. He released a grumble as he cut into his food. For the past few weeks, he’s been struggling to quash his feelings of frustration over Tali’s noncommittal to moving their relationship forward. Lochlan knew he had to give her some space, yet he wonders if he gave her so much space that she might fly away.

A knock on the door startled him for his musings.

“What!” he barked out. Lochlan despised being bothered when he was eating.

The door opened to reveal Tali smirking at him.

“I knew you didn’t like to be disturbed at dinner time,” she said. “But you do know that no one is actually going to take your food, right?”

Lochlan quickly stood to his feet to greet her. He wrapped his palm around the back of her neck as he placed a kiss on her lips.

“You’re a day early,” he whispered as his lips hovered over hers.

“I know,” she said, placing her hands on his shoulder, giving him a slight push to give her a little space. “However, I thought about what you said earlier today, and…”

“And?” Lochlan repeated, eager for her to finish her thought.

“I think… you’re right,” Tali said with hesitation in her voice. “I should move ... here… to be… with you.”

“Why do you sound reluctant?” he asked as he took a step back. “I’m not interested in any pity you might have for me.”

“No. I just- I have one requirement before I stay here,” she explained.

“What is that?” he asked, arching on eyebrow in suspicion.

“I need you to meet my mother, and I would like it if she approved of you,” she rushed out.

Lochlan’s face suddenly twisted into an odd mixture of confusion, outrage, and a bit of disgust. “Are you jockeying me?” He walked over to the window before turning around to begin pacing.

“No, no,” Tali stammered as she approached him, trying to ease his outrage. “You’re supposed to be calm about this.”

“Are you expecting me to be calm with being told that I, ruler of a Court, need the approval of an elf?” he scoffed as he stopped in front of her.

Tali’s normally vibrant blue eyes went cold. “An elf who happens to be my mother,” she sneered. She expected him to not be overly pleased with the idea, but she didn’t expect him to be so flippant.

Lochlan cleared his throat and immediately appeared remorseful, realizing that he didn’t choose his words correctly. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He looked to the side for moment before turning back to her. “I would never intend to demean you or your mother.” Lochlan held out his hands as Tali allowed him to gather her in his arms.

“You just aren’t accustomed to this,” she said with a nod as her head rested against his chest. “I’ll let her know we’re coming, but I’ll wait until after the wedding.”

Lochlan grumbled under his breath, annoyed that he was to wait even more before Tali would be her permanently.

“Fine,” she acquiesced. “I’ll move up it up to before the wedding.”

“Much better,” Lochlan said. “No need to delay these things.”

“Oh and one more thing,” Tali mumbled.

Hmm? What is that?” he inquired, relishing her closeness.

“I’ve never brought anyone for her to meet,” she said quickly. “And I’m pretty sure she believes virgin.”

“What!”

* * *

 Jareth opened the door, walking into their new sitting room, dragging Sarah behind him.

“Why are you being so dramatic?” she groaned as she let him move her into the room. “You’re making me wish I went to the dress fitting. Would it really be horrible if the servants overhear? You know they are nosey, just chatty. They mean no harm.”

Jareth said nothing as he magically closed the door. He observed the sitting room, noticing that no one was in there at the moment.

“Are you going to say something?” Sarah asked, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Jareth grabbed her arm again and moved them to their bedroom. After he shut that door, he placed his palm against the wood of the door and formed a magical barrier around the room.

“A silence barrier?” she asked. “Is that necessary? We’re no longer in the sitting room.”

“Yes, but someone might have walked by and overheard something,” he said. “Or walk in.”

“Again,” she supplemented with a sigh. Jareth’s mouth, which was previously set into a thoughtful frown, curved slightly upward at the thought. “Oh, you find that funny now. I’m glad that you now are able to find the humor in what happened.”

The Palace servants certainly found the humor immediately those many weeks ago. When Sarah and Jareth returned to the Palace from the Goblin Castle following Sawyer’s defeat, the couple spent many days and nights celebrating the first moments of real peace together since Sarah returned to the Underground. Unfortunately, their boisterous celebration drowned out the servant who knocked on their door. All she needed was the Seelie Queen’s signature.

That poor human girl still won’t look at either one of them in the face, even though Sarah told her that she had nothing to worry about. The next day, Jareth commissioned their royal suites be moved to the North Wing. It would allow for more room and the ability to have several sitting rooms as well for an adjacent nursery. Even her parents didn’t have elaborate royal rooms such as these, but Jareth insisted on the privacy, especially after the situation with the poor servant girl. Also, he was still not at ease with the amount of staff the Palace had roaming around. His castle staff paled in comparison to the army of people that walked around here. He assumed that he would never truly get used to this, but he knew he could tolerate them in time.

“I actually found it funny then,” he admitted as he held back his laughter. “Mostly due to the look of horror on your face and hers.”

“Fine,” Sarah said, rolling her eyes. “So, why do you want to talk in a cone of silence?”

Jareth gave her a curious look at her odd choice of words but chose to ignore it. “I put up the barrier because I’m exhausted of hearing everyone talk about us. And I told you to put a stop to it, did I not?”

“Hold on. First, you’re many months early on talking to anyone, especially me, as though you are their father. Second, everyone is simply excited and getting used to the idea of the High Queen actually enjoying the company of her consort. It will die down with time. And third,” she said as she shrugged. “I meant to send out a memo, but I forgot. Also, I see that you are deflecting and not actually answering my initial question.”

Jareth walked over to her and grabbed her shoulders, gently kneading them with his hands. “There are several reasons why I do the things I do. It’s true that I’m not forgoing my duties- everything in the Goblin Kingdom is taken care of.”

“Do you need a side project to keep you busy? I’m sure-”

“I want to do this because I will ensure that everything is perfect,” he stated.

Sarah raised her eyebrow in suspicious confusion. “Why?”

“When was the last time the Seelie Court had a wedding of this magnitude?” he questioned. “Other royals, nobles of all kind, will be there, assessing who our event- judging us.”

Her confusion turned to worry as she backed away from him, moving away from his touch. “What? Why do you care about this now? I never have. Are you telling that you have turned into some brown nosing aristocrat who favors the goodwill of people who don’t matter? Where’s the real Jareth? I don’t appreciate this imposter.”

Jareth let out a chuckle before growing serious again. “I have no desire to gain favor with among the various members of the aristocracy. My concern- the reason why I’m overseeing the planning- is that _those_ individuals will hold some form of scorn for you for marrying me.”

“That’s absurd,” Sarah scoffed.

“Is it?” he countered as he crossed his arms across his chest. “One can tell much by the type of spouse they choose.” Jareth walked toward her, reaching out to hold her hand. “I would hate for anyone to think less of you…” His hand traveled to her torso, resting on the small bump that just started to show. “…Of our children because of your decision to be with me.”

“You,” she said before pausing for a moment. “You have thought about this too much. I realize that you may not want to admit it, but I think you are cracking under pressure. Look, being High King-”

“I don’t wish to be High King,” Jareth stated.

Shocked at his admission, Sarah paused for a moment, simply staring at him. A minute later, she jerked her hand away, raking her hands through her hair as she turned in a quick circle.

“What are you talking about?” she asked. “When did you decide this?”

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while.”

“But…but,” Sarah stammered, gesticulating with her hands. “You have to be High King since I’m the High Queen and all. You plan on keeping your regular title and only that title?”

“That was my plan,” Jareth responded with a small nod of his head.

“And when did you plan on telling me this?” she asked. “Are you thinking that people will like you more if you declined the crown? That’s a stupid thing to believe. Stop thinking so much about random faes.”

“I’m not,” Jareth barked. “I’m doing this for you.”

That statement stopped Sarah’s rambling. “I don’t- Why? I don’t get it.”

“My only interest when I placed that ring on your finger was for you to be my wife,” he stated. “I have no interest in governing this Court. This reign will be yours and yours alone.”

“But I need your help,” she confessed. “My parents-”

“Are you going to hold them up as a standard for us?” Jareth asked as an eyebrow arched in skepticism. “Or with anyone?”

Sarah pursed her lips together, recognizing that bringing up her parents was bad example in almost any instance.

“To be fair, your grandmother didn’t have a High King by her side either,” he pointed out.

“And she was… difficult,” Sarah mumbled.

“This is true,” he admitted. “So, you have two modes of governing, both rulers are not to be admired. Are you certain that you _need_ me by my side? Or is that an excuse to continue to distrust your own judgment?”

“Why can’t it be both?” she asked as her face fell into a forlorn scowl. 

“I’m not going to hold you back,” Jareth stated. “And I won’t allow you to use me as a buttress.”

“A buttress? Really?” Sarah asked as she rolled her eyes at his choice of words.

Jareth sighed. “If you truly wish me to be High King-”

“No. No, you’re right about me using you as a _crutch_ \- not buttress,” she said. “Anyway, I don’t want to shove a title that you don’t want on you.” Sarah inhaled deeply before releasing a deep sigh.

“You can always higher more advisors,” he offered. “Have different advisors in charge of a different kingdom or what have you.”

“Oh shit, that’s such a good idea,” she said as she draped her arms around his neck. “Are you sure you don’t want the title?”

“My mind is made up,” he smirked. “Don’t sell yourself short. You will be the best ruler this Court has ever known.”

“That’s a low bar,” she snorted. “Ow!” Sarah dropped her arms from around his neck and glared at Jareth, rubbing the area of her hip that he pinched.

“What did I just say about not belittling your abilities?”

“I just don’t want to screw up,” Sarah admitted quietly as she walked across the room toward the door that led to the sitting room. “It’s stupid to think about because I know I’m the first monarch to feel this way. I’ll try not to focus on it.”

Sarah turned the knob to open the door, but the knob stuck, not turning in either direction. Her hand dropped from the handle as she spun around to glare at the evidently pleased Goblin King. She didn’t realize the barrier had done more than block out their voices. “Get rid of the barrier,” she groan, tired of his antics.

With a leering grin on his face, Jareth sauntered over to his Queen before placing his hands on the door behind her, trapping her. He dipped his head to her neck, placing an open kiss on her skin.

“I have a dress fitting that I’m super late for,” Sarah sighed, tilting her head to the side, allowing him better access. “Thanks to you.”

“You are doing a poor job at putting up a fight,” he muttered in her ear.

“I gave up fighting you a long time ago,” she teased.

“Lies,” Jareth hissed before his lips collided with hers.

Sarah wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him closer to her. He pressed her against the door allowing her to feel his arousal as it pushed against her hip. As they kissed, Jareth moved his hands to Sarah’s back, manually undoing the buttons that confined her to the dress. When he finished unbuttoning her dress, he pulled away from her and pushed her dress to the floor, pooling around her feet. His eyes slowly raked over her body from head to toe and back. His breathing sounded hurried short causing Sarah to smirk as she stood before him completely nude.

“Why am I the one who ends up without clothing first?” she asked in a low voice as she took one step forward. He gently pushed her back against the wooden door as he moved his fingers to ghost along her bare hip. Sarah watched the movement of his hand as he moved up and down the side of her torso. When she looked up, she noticed he was watching the movement of his hand was well. He continued his movements over the small swell of her stomach.

“Your body will continue to change,” Jareth said.

Sarah let out a snort. “Yeah, I don’t really need to be told that. Thanks for ruining the moment.”

Jareth released a low chuckle as his eyes moved from her torso to her eyes. “You’re beautiful and always will be. I’ll ensure you feel that way forever.” His fingers gently brushed against her inner thigh before he slid the tips of this finger over her swollen clit. His other hand wrapped around her to hold her when her knees went weak. Sarah clasped onto his shoulders as she fervently kissed him. As his fingers delved into her, her mouth was plundering his, causing them both to moan in pleasure. Jareth reluctantly pulled away from her before he picked her up in his arms, walking them both to their bed.

“I hate when you pick me up,” she complained. Jareth gradually placed her on the bed, ensuring her head rested on the pillows. He quickly removed his shirt and boots, leaving his trousers and necklace on before joining her in bed. He ran his hand through her hair, held the back of her head, and kissed her.

“Stop complaining about useless things,” he muttered before returning to her lips. First, his lips lingered on hers before he slid his tongue into her mouth. Sarah caressed his cheek and ran her hands through his chaotic blond hair before moving down to his shoulders and arms, enjoying the strong feel of his body in her hands. His hands traveled roughly over her breast, squeezing them, fondling them, and prompting loud groans of pleasure from his Queen.

“That feels amazing,” she groaned.

He sat up to gaze at her for a moment.

“What are you doing?” Sarah laughed, feeling a bit uncomfortable under his gaze.

“I want to look at you,” Jareth simply stated. She felt a blush rising in her cheeks. She always let him know that doing that annoyed her. But if she was honest with herself, she appreciated his attentions.

Taking her foot, he slipped off her shoes then kissed her ankle.

“No, no, no!” Sarah huffed out, trying to pull her leg away. Unfortunately, he had a strong grip.  “That tickles, and you know that!”

Jareth laughed kissed her ankle before placing her leg back down on the bed. He licked his lips as his eyes fed on her curves, which were displayed for his appreciation.

“Spread your legs,” he ordered. His order was a command, but it came out with a slightly pleading tone that made her want to comply. “Bend your knees a little.”

His eyes locked on hers as he climbed up toward her, spreading them wider as he settled in between her. Jareth drew in a deep breath as he lifted his head to stare into his eyes.

“So beautiful,” he murmured. The first sweep of his tongue was light, but she jumped a little. Jareth reached up to force her torso to stay on the mattress. His gaze was still focused on her face as he grinned and nudged her clit with his lips. Her legs closed against his head.

“Do you like that?”

Sarah released a throaty chuckle. “You know I do.”

He winked at her before he closed his eyes and thrust his tongue into her pussy. He lapped at her folds, tracing the contours of her body with his tongue. Moaning loudly, she writhed beneath his attention and grabbed his hair, holding him in place between her legs. She needed more. All other thoughts ceased to run through her head. She whimpered her objections when he moved away from her sex. One of his hands moved to her breast and pinched her nipple. A ripple of wonderful pain shot straight down to her pussy. He shifted his weight allowing him to lift her butt a little off the mattress, bringing her firmly against his mouth. He closed his lips over her clit and sucked hard. Her muscles tensed and quivered as her hips began to pump against his face. He drove his fingers into her, thrusting hard inside her.

Sarah twisted and bucked against him. She was so close. He prodded her faster and faster. His mouth tugged at her clit, rolling it between his lips. She tensed as a garbled sound escaped her, and then he hummed against her, triggering her harsh release that spread throughout her body.

“Oh, fuck!” she rasped out.

Jareth licked her again as pleasure danced over her again. After he withdrew from her, he brought his finger to his mouth, licking her essence, his eyes never breaking contact with hers. Sarah opened her arms to him, and Jareth complied immediately as he fell onto the bed holding her in his arms. The vibrations continued through Sarah’s body as she felt him nuzzle her neck, dropping soft kisses on her throat, her collarbone, and her cheek.

“I love the way you come,” Jareth whispered

“You keep saying that,” Sarah said.

“It keeps being true,” he replied. He dipped his hand between her legs again as her hips ground against his fingers. His fingers slipped through her wet folds. She traced the outline of his of penis before giving it a squeeze between his trousers.

“You’re overdressed,” she hummed against his lips.

“Such a travesty, Your Majesty,” he teased. “I’ll rectify it immediately.” In a blink of an eye, his trousers where magically removed. She stroked his length twice, then brushed her thumb over the tip of his erection.

Regrettably, they both heard voices from the other side of the door, , forcing them to cease their amorous ways.

"I didn't see them in this part of the wing," a young woman's voice hissed.

"Well, I looked everywhere else; they must be here," a stern voice that was unmistakably Lydia's responded.

"I can't hear anyone in there," the other voice said.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Your Majesty, are you there?" Lydia asked. "If you are there, I want you to know that you are very late for your fitting."

Although she barely moved, Sarah was able to muster enough movement to slowly turn her head to look at Jareth. His eyes were black slits as he stared at the door, fury growing inside him.

“I plan to murder that witch,” Jareth growled he said as he moved to get out of bed. However, Sarah grabbed his wrist, bringing him back to the bed.

“Don’t do that,” she said. “Just drop the barrier.” He tilted his head to the side, his nostrils now flaring. “Trust me, Jareth.” He placed his palm against the wall behind the head, dismantling the barrier.

“Lydia,” Sarah called out. “I’ll be at my fitting soon. There’s something I have to take care.” She looked over at Jareth actually smiled in amusement as he lounged against the headboard, his arms cross over his naked chest.

Lydia tried to protest. “But-”

“I told you what I said, and that is what will be done,” she firmly stated.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll inform the seamstress that you will be arriving,” Lydia demurred as she walked away from the door.

After ensuring that no one was waiting by the door, Sarah cut off any snarky remark that Jareth planned to say. “I will issue the memo tomorrow, okay. No need to tell me ‘I told you so’.”

“Oh, but I do enjoy tell you that,” he said. Without warning, Sarah found herself on her back again with Jareth hovering over her. “Now, I believe you were going to take care of something, yes?”

 

 


	26. Chapter 26

_Then he asked me to be his bride_   
_And always be right by his side_   
_I felt so happy I almost cried_   
_And then he kissed me_

* * *

As Taggert marched through the hallways of the Unseelie Castle, he was taken aback by several things. Although he visited once before, he never had anyone escort him to the throne room. Now, he was staring at the backs of two dark faes who were taking him to their king. The castle was, dare he say, clean, which now lacked even the faintest amount of dust. Last time, Taggert was sure he saw something festering in a corner somewhere.

"A curious turn of events," he mumbled to himself. The two guards stopped in front of the double doors and then knocked in unison.

"Enter," the voice inside ordered. They opened the door before moving to the side, allowing the Centaur King to walk in. Once he walked inside, the doors shut behind him as the guards presumably stood outside, standing guard.

"Well, well, _Roan_. It's nice to see you here," Lochlan remarked, dressed fully in black, as he sat in his throne.

"I could say that I also decided on an absurdly juvenile nickname for you," Taggert said as he approached the throne. "However, unlike you, I tend to spend my free time in more useful ways." He took a quick look around the throne room. "Yet, I can tell that you have actually spent some time being productive. This place no longer smells of sour milk."

"That's it!" Lochlan proclaimed, shaking his fist in triumph. "Sour milk! Tali has been trying to figure out what that was for the longest time. I'll be sure to notify her of your historic find."

"Aren't you wondering why I took time out of my day to visit your Court?" Taggert asked.

"I don't feel the need to question your life choices," he stated. Taggert released a grunt as he leveled a stare at the Unseelie King causing Lochlan to chuckle at the frustration he's causing. "Fine. What is it that you need?"

Taggert brought his hand up to his head, massaging it thoroughly. "I came here to see if there was an endless well where you send correspondences because you surely don't act as though you've ever received one."

"What? You mean from you?" Lochlan asked before he looked up at the ceiling, trying to remember something. "Oh yes! I believe I remember you sending me something a few weeks ago, but I'm sure it's vanished or something."

"What! Why are you so flippant about this?" Taggert complained. "Where's your office?"

"Under construction," he answered with a shrug.

"How have you maintained a Court for this long without any structure?" Taggert asked. "Do you remember the request I sent you?"

"Is that a trick question?"

Taggert had enough of the Unseelie King's childish ways. "I have better places to be," he gritted through his teeth as he turned around to walk to the door. His exit was interrupted when Lochlan appeared in his path, blocking his departure.

"There's no need to make a scene," Lochlan said as he turned around to open the doors. "Follow me."

Taggert released a huff of air through his nose as he complied. He never understood why Lochlan had a flair for the dramatics. Now that he thought about it for a moment, Jareth did as well- and Kalin.

 _How did I get so involved with faes?_ he wondered as he walked behind the Unseelie King.

Within a matter of minutes, they were stopped in front a door, not far from the throne room. With a twist of his wrist, Lochlan opened the door before standing to the side to allow Taggert entry.

"What is this wretched excuse for a room?" Taggert blurted out as soon as he walked through the door.

Lochlan head peaked into the room while still staying in the hallway.

"What's the issue?" he asked. "Everything simply needs to be sorted through."

Taggert's mouth slowly opened as he struggled to comprehend what he saw. The area seemed large, but he couldn't tell due to all the boxes filled with an abundance of papers were stack on top of each other.

"Are these summons you've recently received?" he asked.

"No. That would be preposterous," Lochlan stated. "Tali had a few of my faes gather all the paper work that I had throughout the castle. This happens to be what they found."

"Are you joking?" Taggert asked as he turned to face him. "Do you have any idea what these are?"

"No idea," Lochlan shrugged. "Most of them anyway. It does seem like a lot when you see it condensed in one room."

"I doubt you'll be able to get through this without help," he said. "Just set up a normal administrative body to deal with all this."

"You might be correct," Lochlan mused, stroking his chin. "Did you know that Jareth said he will no longer be giving me Goblin Ale? I have to request it through bureaucratic nonsense. Such hogwash."

"It's called establishing trade deals," Taggert said as he left the room. "You know, the reason why I'm here."

"Oh, yes," Lochlan said with a nod. "I remember that letter now. I'm sure it's in there somewhere."

"Are these…"

"All the correspondences I've received throughout my reign, and a few from my Uncle that I've found along the way," he said.

"I thought…"

"I generally know what these documents contain," he said. "Don't know any details. I've been told to hire _assistants_ to organize this this chaos."

"Tali again?"Taggert said with a smirk. "Making you get off your lazy ass. That's something that I can approve of."

"I promise when your bride-to-be sends her invitations out, I'll be sure to receive it," Lochlan stated. "Possibly. Someone will tell me about the date anyway, I'm sure"

"What a bizarre way to live your life," Taggert commented, shaking his head.

"Why are you here again?" Lochlan asked, raising a curious brow.

"You're impossible," Taggert said before disappearing.

* * *

Fidgeting with her fingers, Tali sat quietly yet anxiously across from Sarah as the High Queen wrote furiously, paying her lady-in-waiting no mind. Sarah dipped her pen in the ink well before she began writing again. Clearing her throat, Tali tried to obtain Sarah's attention.

"One moment," Sarah mumbled as she inked her quill again. After a few minutes of silence, save for the sound of writing of pen on paper, Sarah placed her pen down and folded her hands together, before resting her chin on her fists. Giving her Tali a smile, she asked, "Yes?"

"I have to talk to you about something," Tali speaking softly, yet keeping her eyes focused on Sarah. "And I should have talked to you about this earlier…"

"Is this about you wanting to move to the Unseelie Court and quit your position as my lady-in-waiting?" she asked. Tali eyes widened in surprise. For a moment, she was lost for words.

"How did you…"

"Why are you always surprised?" Sarah asked. "Just because you took your sweet time talking to me about doesn't mean I didn't know."

Tali lowered her head, feeling a bit of shame. She felt a bit awful not telling Sarah everything as soon as the issue rose up.

"Plus," Sarah continued, dropping her hands in her lap. "I know Lochlan enjoys monopolizing your time. Doesn't take a genius to figure that out."

"I should have told you sooner," Tali demurred as she sagged her shoulders. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she reassured her. "But I need your help with something."

"With finding a new lady-in-waiting?" Tali asked. "I think I Britta would do well, but…"

"You clearly haven't been paying attention to what's happening in the Palace these past few weeks," Sarah said with a knowing smile. "Britta is now my official envoy to the Elves; Lynette is now my head gardener; and Wynnie decided that working in the Palace was not for her."

"Oh," Tali whispered. "Yeah, I'm really out of the loop."

"Yep," Sarah said. Picking up the bell at the corner of her desk, Sarah picked it and gave it rang, signaling her need for tea. "I decided that since you are planning to leave and babies on the way that I need to restructure... everything."

"What do you have in mind?" Tali asked. "Or was this already decided?"

"Not yet," Sarah said as she placed the paper that she was previously writing on in front of Tali. She pointed to each section as she talked. "Cormac will still be my advisor. But, I'll have individuals that answer to him, ensuring that I don't get bogged down with minute details. For example, Britta will inform Cormac about any issues the Elves have, and I will be briefed once a week on what is occurring. I need to appoint more people to the other members of the Court. Lydia will be in charge of all Palace issues. If that gets to be too difficult, she can gather more help. And I'm going to need a nanny or two."

"You really gave this a lot of thought," Tali muttered as she went over the diagram. "I'm sure Britta is excited to be with the elves. So, you're not upset with me?"

Sarah paused for a moment. "No. I just don't understand why you were so quiet about it. I've told you in the past that you can always talk to me. "

"As silly as it may sound, I didn't know how to navigate any of this," Tali responded with a shrug. "I just really want to make sure that my relation with him was solid enough to make such drastic changes, and that you were okay with this. How do they say that Aboveground- that I can have your blessing?"

"I want you to be happy," Sarah stated. "I would never want you to be tethered here unwillingly. However, I have one request for you, and I need you to convince Lochlan of this."

Tali raised her eyebrow, intrigued by her words. "What is it?"

* * *

The wind blew through the black cloak and hood sheltering the Unseelie King from the whirling dirt as he continued to grumble to himself.

"Even over this wind, I can still hear you," Tali pointed out as she surveyed their surroundings. Although several weeks have passed since Tali visited her mother, she felt as though many months have passed instead.

"Has it always been this busy?" Lochlan asked.

"Ever since I have visited here," she stated. "When was the last time you were here?"

Lochlan looked down at the ground, considering the question. "When I was ten or nine. I forget these things."

"Oh," Tali said, rolling her eyes. She grabbed his hand, guiding him through the entrance of the town. "A lot changes in two thousand years."

"So, everyone keeps telling me," he said, allowing her to guide him as he took stock of the busy streets. As they continued their walk, the duo received a few stares from bystanders. The cloaks they wore were not simply for protection from the chill autumn air, but also to conceal Lochlan from anyone who would recognize him. Whether he would be mistaken for Jareth or recognized as himself, neither Tali nor Lochlan wished to deal with the results of someone making a kerfuffle.

Contrary to its name, Oasis Steppes was not located in a prairie. The town was situated on top of a large table top mountain and surrounded by several smaller mountains and rock formation. Unlike most towns in the Goblin Kingdom, Oasis Steppes consisted of vast apartment type dwellings instead of individual cottages or villas. Since the town was an early sanctuary for humans, it's wasn't difficult to understand why they would cling to Aboveground customs, even when it came to housing. The mountainous region made it difficult to cultivate expansive cities. Because of that, Oasis Steppes was the only major town in the northeast section of the Goblin Kingdom.

"Come on," Tali said as she wove them through the crowd in the market square.

"Does your mother live in one of these apiaries?" Lochlan asked.

"They're called apartments," she scoffed. "Not everyone can live in a castle. I keep telling you that."

"That's such a horrible fact, is it not?" he stated as he watched regular people go about their daily lives. "How far away is your mother's?"

"Not far, and don't start your complaining now," Tali warned him. "I told you to get that out of your system yesterday."

"Seems I still have a bit in the reserves," Lochlan muttered. After a few minutes of walking down a few streets, they came to a stop in front of a small brink insula that was surrounded by a high fence, bordered by tall evergreens. "This looks cramped."

"Not. A. Castle," Tali repeated as they stopped in front of the locked gate. She went into her pocket to fish out a key before using it to open the gate. They walked across the gardens where a few elf and human children played in the fountain while being chastised by their guardians.

"Are they just allowed to do that?" Lochlan asked as he surveyed the scene.

"You mean those children acting like children?" she countered as she laughed a little at his attitude. "That happens all the time."

Out of nowhere, at least to Lochlan, they stopped in front of a door to one of the apartments.

"That was fast," he remarked.

"This place isn't that big; it's easy to get around," she said. Tali lifted her fist to knock on the door, but the door opened before she could signal their arrival.

"Tali! My darling child," the small elf called out as she removed the hood around her daughter's face before clutching her tightly, giving her a large hug. Tali responded in kind to her mother's embrace. "You are two minutes late, _habibti*_."

The younger elf groaned as her mother continued to hold her close. Her mother has always been a stickler for time. This time was no different.

"How are you feeling? It's been so long," her mother said, cupping Tali's cheeks in her hand.

"It's been one month, tops," Tali countered. "We should probably go inside. Lochlan will draw attention."

"It's been one month, two weeks, and four days," she corrected as she finally let go of her daughter. "And yes, I forgot my manners." She moved to the side to allow both of them inside. "He should get inside- looks just like His Majesty. People will begin to wonder."

When Lochlan walked into the abode, the door closed behind him. A small tug on his shoulder brought his attention to the elderly elf removing his cloak.

"Please, have a seat at the table," she said, pointing to the opening in the room. "I have tea already for you two."

Lochlan took in his surroundings. "It is quite cramped, isn't it?" A sharp jab to his side caused him to release a harried cough. He looked down to see Tali glaring up at him.

"This isn't some sort of an estate or villa," the older elf said. "It's a small home, but it is mine- thanks to my daughter, my daughter who has clearly forgotten her manners."

"Sorry," Tali said, blushing in embarrassment. "Lochlan, this is my mother, Rosaleen. Mother, this is Lochlan, my, um, uh-"

"Lover," Lochlan purred. He grabbed Tali's hand, kissing the back of her hand. Tali felt as though her very soul was leaving her body. She would have half the mind to strangle the stupid fae if she wasn't frozen in mortified horror.

"I hate you so much," Tali mutter as she covered her face with her hands. "Why are you always like this?" However, Rosaleen's lips quipped in amusement.

"Tali, love, remember that notebook you had as a child?" Rosaleen asked. "You wrote so many different things in there."

"Um, yes?" Tali answered, confused by the dramatic shift in the conversation.

"I have it in my room, either in my trunk or closet," Rosaleen said. "Please find it for me."

"But-"

"Quickly," Rosaleen ordered. "Lochlan and I will be out here until you get back."

Without another word, Tali ran off to the hallway and into her mother's room. The door closing shut let Rosaleen know that she was in her room. She turned her head up to Lochlan. "Now, about that tea." She strolled over to the dining table and sat down at the head of the table. However, Lochlan stayed standing where he was.

"Did you intentionally separate us?" he asked.

"Maybe I did; maybe I didn't," she said with a shrug. "This tea will get cold if you don't have a seat and join me."

* * *

Kalin sat in her new sitting room in the Centaur Castle. Prior to the remodel of this one room, every room in the castle was sparsely decorated with dark, heavy wood accenting nearly every wall. She didn't want to change this place too much, but Kalin really needed a calm space of her own. This sitting room was open with large windows that allowed her to view the Centaurs' sparing field. That way she could see what they were doing without actually getting mud on her shoes.

"How long are they going to be out there?" Kalin mumbled to herself as she thumbed through her daily reports. "They've been at it for hours."

She carefully picked up her tea pot when she noticed the body of a centaur careening toward the sitting room then colliding into a tree that protected the room from any unanticipated crashes. Startled out of her wits, she dropped the pot as it crashed to the floor, spilling hot tea on the ground.

"Damn it!" she hissed. "I didn't even get to have any." Suddenly, a centaur aid opened the door and rushed into the room.

"Is everything okay, Your Majesty?" he asked in earnest. "I thought I heard something." He ceased his steps when he saw the mess on the floor. "Oh, let me clean that for you."

Kalin waved her hand over the mess, making it disappear. "Fixed it, Varney," she said, turning to smile at him. "Could you bring me another teapot, please?"

Varney responded with a smile of his own before turning around to leave.

"Oh, and tell those hooligans to not throw each other so far," she said as she sat back straight in her chair. "Ruining my concentration, bunch of vagabonds."

"I'll let them know," Varney said before leaving. "Yet, I doubt they will listen."

Kalin's head dropped in her hands as she released a groan a few seconds after she saw another one of Taggert's men thrown into a tree.

 _Those absurd creatures are too durable for their own good_ , she thought as she struggled to focus on her work. The silence that fell over her was soon interrupted by raucous cheering and laughter.

Before Kalin could mutter any sort of objection, Varney walked into the room with a fresh pot of tea and a plate of something in his hand.

"Tea, as you requested," Varney stated as he placed the items on her table. "And I thought you might want some biscuits to go with your beverage." He picked up the pot again to pour some tea into her cup.

"You are very good at your job," she said, giving him another smile.

Although Kalin objected to the idea at the time, Taggert wanted someone assigned as her assistant while she was at his castle and vice versa. Varney was one of the smallest male centaurs she's met so far. According to him, he was the youngest of seven children. While his older brothers went off to join the royal military, he chose to be of service in the royal household, spending his days helping the cooks and chambermaids as necessary. Even though he had no real experience with the faes and their unpredictable nature, he knew that if he kept to himself and came when called that he would get along fine with the Pixie Queen.

 _After all_ , he thought at the time. _She couldn't be that dreadful if His Majesty was willing to be chained to her for all eternity_.

"Do you need anything else, Your Maejsty?" he asked.

"No," Kalin responded as she bit into a tea biscuit. "But I will need you in about an hour. I have some letters that need to be se-" She dropped the biscuit on the plate as her face contorted into a mask of pure disgust, sticking her tongue out to wipe the food on a cloth napkin.

"Is everything all right, Ma'am?" he asked with concern and confusion in his voice. "I promise those biscuits aren't old. They were made earlier today."

"Then why do they taste like grass?" Kalin sputter into her napkin. "Ugh! Gross!" She picked up her tea, taking a small spit. Suddenly, she spit out the little she drank. "This tastes like grass too! What the hell?"

"Oh no," Varney said under his breath. "I'm not the expert on this, but I believe we should take you to Castle healer."

Kalin's face whitened in horror. "Have I been poisoned? Who would poison someone with grass?"

"No. You're not poisoned," he said in a calm voice. "However, I believe you are carrying His Majesty's child."

* * *

"I'm surprised to see Tali jump at your orders so quickly," Lochlan admitted after taking a sip of his tea. "I ask her to do simple things all the time, and she balks at the idea of me telling her what to do."

"Good for her," Rosaleen responded, pouring herself another cup of tea. "A powerful fae such as yourself shouldn't have everyone bowing to your wishes, let along someone who you consider your… lover."

Lochlan chuckled before taking another sip.

"You nearly scared her half to death when you called her that," Rosaleen said, trying to hide her smile behind her tea cup. "She's always been very discreet about her private life- even with me."

"I appreciate that about her," Lochlan confessed, leaning back in his chair. "This relationship would be wretched if there were two outrageously bawdy individuals in it. So, is there a reason why you wished to speak to me alone? You don't look as though you wish to throttle me and leave me for dead. However, Elves have been known to keep their emotions hidden from others. "

"And why would I do such a thing?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

Lochlan placed his cup on the table before giving Tali's mother an earnest stare. "She seems to believe that you wish her to be a nice, _virginal_ half-elf who always does what her mother wishes."

Rosaleen shoulders slacked as she let out an exhausted sounding sigh. "How much has she told you about her early life?"

"Whatever you're about to tell me, I doubt she told me anything about what you are planning to tell me," he stated. "Her father died when she was young. It was just the two of you after that. When she left, she sent you money-"

"That I never asked for- let's be perfectly clear on that," Rosaleen emphatically stated. "She's loyal to a fault, never forget that." She gave Lochlan a stern glare as she took a sip of her tea.

"And you believe I would take advantage of her loyalty?" he asked. "I feel as though you are trying to say something. No need to be coy. Just say it."

Rosaleen exhaled as she contemplated her cup. "I never wanted Tali to do anything that she didn't want to do or to _be_ anything that she didn't want to be," she explained. "She's been through too much for me to place any burdens on her. While you're not the most horrid individual that she could be with, you must admit that when your daughter tells you she is the… being courted by a king, and the Unseelie king no less, you find yourself a bit concern."

"Do I seem like someone who would go to the trouble of deceiving anyone to be with me?" he asked.

"Not sure," Rosaleen admitted. She looked up from her cup to look him in the eyes. "However, I have to admit that sitting with you has swayed me a bit. Spending my formative years in the Elf Kingdom has made me wary when it comes to getting close to royalty."

"You must have been thrilled when Tali took her position at the Palace," Lochlan said, words dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm not interested in having Tali live my life," she said, adamantly. "She can do as she pleases. Anything she said regarding what I may or may not want for her was simply her perception."

"Therefore, believing her to be… untouched-"

Rosaleen let out a snort. "Oh, I'm so glad I sent her away; she would be mortified by all of this," she said, laughing. "Until recently, my only child worked in taverns and pub houses. She's a beautiful and vivacious half-elf. She's now in her second century of life. Just because she's never brought up her romantic life with me doesn't mean that I view her as a child. I simply assumed she would tell me about those type of things once she was ready."

"Hm," was his only response as he peered into his empty cup.

Silence filled the air, only mitigated by Lochlan tapping his pointed nails on the table. Rosaleen took this moment to take the teapot to the stove to make more tea.

"I plan to ask her to marry me," he declared. "Make her my Unseelie Queen."

Rosaleen carefully placed the pot on the burner before grabbing hold of the counter.

"Well," she said, slowly turning to Lochlan. "That was not expected."

"Did part of you still believe that I was using her?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, awaiting her answer.

"For years, many of us have held on to the idea that nothing good comes from those with black eyes," she admitted.

"Jareth has the same eyes as me," he forcefully countered. Lochlan wasn't going to allow harsh feelings toward his ancestors stop him from achieving happiness. "You fled to a land control by my mother. Somewhere along the way you decided that that way of thinking wasn't true."

"When you are fleeing war, you don't think too much about those things," she said solemnly as she turned to face him.

"Regardless," Lochlan said. "I plan to ask her soon. But, not now. The Seelie Court will be dealing with a wedding and the birth of two heirs. I'd rather not add to the commotion."

"Is this your way of asking for my permission?" she asked in amused confusion.

"I'm not used to asking for permission," he said with a sly smile. "I could ask. If you say no, I'll do it anyway."

Rosaleen broke out in laughter. "Of course, you will."

"Mother!" Tali yelled as she rushed into the room. Her hair was frazzled while her dress was in a disheveled state. "I can't find the notebook anywhere. I searched multiple times, with magic and without." She plopped down in the chair next Lochlan. "Maybe you accidently threw it away when you moved."

"Oh, you mean this?" Rosaleen asked as she walked to a shelf, grabbed a notebook, and then held it up. "Sorry, love, I had it here the entire time. Forgot it was here."

"What!" Tali yelled. Lochlan snickered as he ran his fingers through her hair, trying to calm her tresses. "What's so funny?" She batted his hand away from her head. Tali turned to her mother and then to Lochlan.

"What the hell happened while I was gone?"

* * *

"What does the taste of grass have to do with being pregnant?" Kalin asked, her voice becoming more strained as she spoke. "Are you messing around with me?"

"N-no, Ma'am," Varney struggled to say. "Just- just…uh, stay here. I'll grab our healer." The assistant quickly rushed after the room.

"And tell him to bring a potion so I don't have the taste of barn in my mouth!" Kalin yelled. Varney was gone before Kalin could bark any more orders at him. She slouched in her chair- something she would never do under normal circumstances- and stared at the floor as the room filled with the sound of centaurs throwing each other around outside.

After a few minutes, once the taste of meadow disappeared from her mouth, the notion that she might be pregnant finally dawned on her. She's given the passing thought of what would happen if or when she became pregnant. But nothing beyond the superficial such as what her child's eyes would look like. Now, she had so many questions- one of them being whether she would be stuck with mulch mouth for a while.

A knock on the door brought Kalin away from her swirling and maddening thoughts. "Enter!" Kalin ordered.

"Hello, Your Majesty," the young elf said as she poked her head in. She shuffled a little into room, coming across a bit timid. "Varney filled me in on, uh, your situation."

Kalin turned around to see the small elf still standing by the door. "You're new," she pointed out. "I think. And there's no reason to hug the wall like that."

"I'm Ona," the elf said as she walked toward Kalin. "And I am new." She stood in front Kalin with her hands clasped together tightly. "The main healer, Quill, thought he should bring someone who knows more than just centaur healing methods- especially with you around here more. But I've also been doing a lot of research on centaurs as well."

"So," Kalin said as she stood to her feet. "I have a million questions about centaur pregnancies. First…"

"Excuse me, Your Majesty," Ona interrupted. "But, I believe I should determine if you are actually pregnant before jumping to conclusions."

"Is the taste of grass factor into this?" Kalin said, crossing her arms across her chest. "I do not care for that particular taste profile."

"Um… The literature never said grass specifically," the healer said as she walked over to the couch. "Please, Your Majesty, lay down for a moment."

"Then, what is the meaning off all this then?" Kalin wondered as she complied with the healer's wishes.

"I've read that a centaur pregnancy can cause the normal nausea as well as the taste of floral in one's mouth when eating," Ona stated. "Grass seems oddly explicit." Her hand hovered over Kalin's abdomen before a white light surrounded her hands. "Maybe because you are fae, the symptoms are a little different."

"Of course," Kalin grumbled as she struggled not to fidget during her examination. "Are you almost done?"

The elf healer stopped the movement of her hands and gave the Pixie Queen a dubious look. "A whole minute hasn't even gone by," she said.

"Are you sure?" Kalin asked, lifting her head off the couch pillows. "I feel like it's been longer. I believe it's been at least an hour."

The doors to the sitting room banged open, startling Ona as she fell backward onto the floor. Kalin popped her head up further to see who just entered the room.

"Oh, good, it's you," Kalin groaned when she saw Taggert rushing over to her. "Now, this is going to take another hour, maybe five!"

"It hasn't been that long," Ona murmured, mostly to herself.

"What's happening here? Varney told me that a healer was sent to you," Taggert said in a panic, kneeling beside Kalin.

"You smell like sweat, dirt, and pasture," Kalin complained. "This isn't going to help my predicament."

"What predicament?" he asked, trying not to yell.

"Everything tastes like grass," she explained. "Now, thanks to you, everything smells like grass. And I have been in this state for hours!"

Taggert turned a stern look to the healer still sitting on the floor.

"Why has it taken you hours to figure out what's wrong?" he asked. "If you need more help, you should know to ask for assistance."

"I have literally been in this room with Her Majesty for less than five minutes, Your Majesty," Ona struggled to say in a respectful tone. She heard that the Pixie Queen was a known exaggerator, but Ona was starting to feel exhausted during her short time around the Queen.

Taggert turned his attention back to his fiancée. "Has it really been a few minutes?"

"Do I look like a clock?" Kalin snapped. Taggert bowed his head for a moment, released deep sigh, before turning back to Ona.

"My apologies, um…"

"Ona, her name is Ona," Kalin said, matter of factly. A small smile formed across the elf's lips. She never pegged the Pixie Queen as someone who remembered the names of the help. "She's very lovely but a bit slow with her examinations." The smile immediately disappeared and was replaced with a frown.

"Just give me a few minutes of peace and quiet, and I'll have an answer for you," Ona stated as she pulled herself up to continue her examination. Her glowing hands hovered, again, above Kalin's torso.

"What is this about?" Taggert whispered to Kalin, trying not to disrupt the healers work.

"Oh, yeah, about that," Kalin whispered loudly back. "We think this horrible taste in my mouth is because I'm pregnant."

"What?!" Taggert yelled.

"Shhh!" Both Ona and Kalin hissed. Taggert ran a forceful hand through his greasy, tangled hair as he tried to keep himself calm. No good would come from him causing any unnecessary interruption with the healer. He reached over to grab Kalin's hand, clasping it tightly in his own.

"Ow!" Kalin shouted at the strength of his grip.

"Shh!" he whispered. "Don't disturb Ona.

A few moments passed when the light faded from Ona's hands as she sat back on her heels. She looked on either side of her as her shoulders sagged.

"I forgot to bring my notepad," she muttered to herself.

"Forget the notebook," Kalin said as she sat up. "What's the meaning of all this?"

"Oh, yes," Ona said looking to Kalin and Taggert. "Her Majesty is pregnant. The magical energy in her is very faint. But, it's there."

"How far along is she?" Taggert asked in earnest.

"I don't know," Ona said. "The magic has characteristics of fae magic and centaur magic. I'll need to do more research on this."

"Why research?" Kalin asked in a flat voice, afraid of what all this might mean.

"A fae pregnancy last nearly six months," Ona explained. "A centaur pregnancy is nearly 14 months long."

"What?" Kalin asked, her voice dropping to dangerous levels as she turned her head to glare at Taggert.

"Why are you acting as though I know the details of these things?" he asked.

"How could you not know?" Kalin grounded out.

Taggert scratched the beard on his neck. "I suppose I knew it was longer than faes, just not that long."

"I'll grab some information for you and speak to Quill," Ona said as she rose to her feet, wanting to leave this situation as soon as possible. "I'll be right back."

When the healer left, Taggert held Kalin's cheeks, gently caressing her skin with his thumbs. "You're… pregnant."

"For like two years," Kalin snipped.

"Kalin!" Taggert shouted as he gently but firmly grasped her arm, silencing her complaining. "You are pregnant… with our child. If I need to massage your feet every day for next year or however long, then I will do so." He reached up to brush some stray hairs away from her face. "Have you forgotten that I said that I would always take care of you?"

"No," Kalin answered with a small pout. "I haven't forgotten." She then looked up into his eyes and smiled. "I'm pregnant." Taggert smiled as well before wrapping her in a large hug.

"Oh, no," Kalin said as she shoved him away violently. She moved her head to the side, almost gagging. "You are quite disgusting right now; you need to shower."

* * *

"Okay, Toby," Karen said as she released a large breath. "Your first night alone without a sitter. Don't make us regret this."

"He's not going to do anything wrong," Robert said as he grabbed his son in a large hug. "Won't you, Toby?"

"No," he mumbled. "I have too much homework anyway."

"Is this my son?" Karen asked. "I can barely believe it."

"If I wasn't too busy, I would go hitchhiking to Canada and just hang out for a bit," Toby cheekily said. Karen's face fell as Robert let out a laugh as he released his son.

"There's your son," Robert chuckled. "Let's go, Karen, or we'll be late."

Karen gave Toby a quick peck on his forehead. "Be good," she warned before walking out the front door.

"Turn on the security alarm when we leave," Robert reminded him before leaving as well.

"Got it," Toby replied, closing the door. Setting the alarm before he forgot, he looked out the window to ensure his parents were gone. When they finally pulled out of the drive way, Toby grabbed two apples from a bowl in the kitchen before he ran upstairs to his room. He walked up to his desk, picking up the bundle of papers he left out when he came home from school. He also picked up the red crystal that Sarah gave him.

"I wish- I wish the Goblin King was here right now," Toby said aloud. Silence filled the room before the air shifted around him.

"How long has it been, Tobias?" a voice behind him asked. "No longer being kept captive?"

Toby smiled before turning around to see Jareth, lounging next to window as he gazed outside. Dressed in tall boots, black trousers, and a billowy shirt, Jareth presented an air of relaxation.

"Yeah, this is the first time I don't have a babysitter in a while," Toby admitted. "My parents have calmed down about things… a little."

"And you used your parents' trust to summon an otherworldly being into their house?" Jareth stated as he turned his attention to the young teenager. "That sounds like a marvelous plan." He rose to his feet and walked toward Toby. He stopped in front of the human, noticing a remarkable change. Jareth took a step back as he studied him for a moment. "Sarah will not be too pleased to realize how tall you've become in the past few months."

"Yeah," Toby said. "Mom says I'm turning into a string bean. Soon, I'll be as tall as you… maybe taller."

Jareth's mouth turned up into a smile. "Maybe." He took a step back, returning to the window to lounge. "Now, I assume you called me here for something. A return to the Underground?"

"No," Toby laughed. "I should stay in my world for a while." He walked over to Jareth and handed him the pieces of paper. "But I wanted you to go read this. I… I want to see what you think about this- to see if you're okay with it."

Jareth raised an eyebrow at him before taking the papers. "What is this about?" he asked with a frown.

"I'm in this weird creative writing thing," he said, deflecting. "Mom made me join. Anyway, I had to write a short story. And-"

"And you decided to write about Hogpen and some chickens battling a group of goblins?" Jareth asked as he flipped through the papers. "I'm surprised the dwarf and the chickens won. Goblins bite, and Hogsbreath is borderline useless."

"You already read it?" Toby asked, both confused and surprised.

"Of course, and it was oddly entertaining," he stated.

"How'd you read it that fast?"

"Humans read incredibly slowly," Jareth explained. "Now, what's the purpose of me reading this highly fictional story about Higglesworth winning over a group of goblins?"

"Well, part of me was to figure out if you liked it, and the other part was to kinda ask your permission," Toby said, worrying his hand while he spoke.

"For what? Writing about these foolish creatures?" Jareth asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I am writing about things in your Kingdom and all," he said.

"Toby, humans have been writing about our world for so long," Jareth said. "I believe you are the first one to ask permission." He held out his hand, giving the papers back to Toby. "I see no problem with what you are writing- it is quite entertaining, even if it is completely unbelievable."

Toby's shoulders slacked as relief washed over him. "Cool," he said, nodding his head. "Otherwise, I'd have nothing to turn in tomorrow."

Jareth smirked but said nothing as he regarded the room he was in for the first time. "Did you know this was Sarah's room when she lived here?"

"Really? She never told me that. I don't think she likes going into too much detail about that time in her life," Toby said. "I understand why. She remembers all that stuff. I don't."

"Your aesthetic is much more abysmal than hers," Jareth remarked. "The walls are so barren; it's like a jail cell. How do you expect to woo young ladies in this drab existence?"

"Girls are gross," the teenager objected.

Jareth's mouth turned into a half smile as he cocked his head to the side. "Are you still maintaining that abysmal state of mind?"

"Whatever," Toby said with a huff as he returned to his desk. He grabbed the two apples and brought them over to Jareth. "Here. These are for Tali. She said, when I was able, to bring her some apples. I guess she really likes the apples here or something."

Jareth grabbed the fruit before making them disappear. "Odd request, but she's an odd one anyway." He then created a crystal.

"Hey, I never asked," Toby said, watching the orb form in the fae's hand. "Why does a small bit of red float around before disappearing?"

"Long story," Jareth quipped as he stood up. "And I thought you hated hearing _gross_ stories about Sarah and me?"

"Eww… yeah… never mind," Toby said, squishing his face in disgust. "You two are super weird together anyway."

"We're all a little weird," Jareth stated as though he was reciting poetry. "And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—true love."*

"Did you just make that up?" Toby asked.

"I read it once- a while ago," he confessed, gazing down at the crystal in his hand. "I remember reading it as though it was an exquisite work of fiction- something lovely to think but would never come true." He looked back at Toby to see the young human smiling at him. "Take this," Jareth instructed as he handed the crystal over to Toby. "You shouldn't miss out completely on your sister's wedding."

"Whoa!" Toby whispered. "Another crystal for my collection. Now, I have one from you."

"It's useless now," Jareth said. "Nevertheless, on the day of the wedding, it will allow you to watch the ceremony."

"Thanks, Jareth," he stated.

Jareth gave a quick nod of acknowledgement as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Before I go: Have you given any thought to what Sarah asked you in her last correspondence?"

Toby paused for a moment for placing the clear crystal on his desk. "Not much, but…"he turned around, gazing down at the floor before returning his attention to Jareth. "I don't know if there is a right time, but now isn't. My parents won't react well if they find out that you guys aren't human, and you live in a magical place."

"Fair enough," Jareth said. "We'd never wish to impose our world onto yours."

"Yeah, mom can't even figure out how her new car works," Toby revealed. "Maybe I'll find a way to ease them into it."

* * *

"Sarah," a faint voice called out.

Sarah mumbled something unintelligible before rolling over to her side.

"Sarah!" the voice yelled more adamantly.

"No," Sarah groaned as she pulled the comforter over her head.

"This isn't the way anyone should be acting on her wedding day," the voice chastised before pulling the comforter completely off the bed.

"Like, give me twenty minutes," Sarah mumbled again. She turned her head slightly to gaze up through hazy eyes at Lydia standing over her, appearing very disappointed.

Lydia walked around the room, opening the curtains wider, allowing the barely dawned light to shine on Sarah slumbering body.

"Sarah! If I allow you to sleep any later, all those guests will be made to wait," Lydia said, opening the last curtain in the bedchamber.

"I could have slept for a good hour more," Sarah complained as she sat up in the bed. Lydia stared back at her, dumbfounded.

"Did you forget what today is?" she asked.

"Getting married," Sarah answered as she stretched her arms up in the air. "You've only said that like nine million times already." She moved to the side of the bed and gently placed her feet on the floor. Sarah slowly stood up and then slogged to the door that led to the bathroom. She turned around to glare at Lydia before shutting the door in her face.

"Stop over exaggerating," Lydia called out, standing outside the bathroom door. "I have to remind you because it seems that you have forgotten." No answer came from inside the bathroom as running water was the only thing that could be heard. After a few minutes of silence, the door finally opened as Sarah continued her slow, tired walk over to her dressing room.

"I didn't forget," Sarah replied as they walked into the room. Several seamstresses were already present as well as Tali who was currently getting dressed. "I just want to get this over with. This wedding is just a formality that forced me to wake up early."

"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine this morning?" Tali asked.

"Always," Sarah groaned.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I believe you have currently out-cranked His Majesty," Lydia said. "Can someone get Her Majesty some tea… and food, please?"

Sarah dropped into a wing-backed chair before trying to curl into a ball. "I just want more sleep."

"Sarah's only sleepy," Tali told Lydia. "Now, Jareth is going to wake up pissed. You made him sleep without Sarah in the Goblin castle."

"What? Me? Why should I get all the blame?" Lydia asked, affronted. "It's tradition for the groom to not see the bride before the wedding ceremony. Can you imagine how much worse this would be if he was here? It's easier if he wasn't in the Royal bedchambers."

* * *

The new day's light barely broke through the throne room of the castle. Jareth lounged in his throne where he had been for the past eight hours. He tried sleeping in his chambers, alone, but quickly found that rest eluded him. The throne room was empty and quiet for nearly half a day now- a fact he found quite odd. However, unless he received a panicked summons regarding his goblins tormenting some unsuspecting town, Jareth decided that wondering where they were was not his primary concern. Or even his secondary concern. What was his concern for these past few hours was this large bottle of Elf wine that he's been nursing.

The sound of shoes clicking against the stone brought Jareth's attention from his glass to the side entrance of his throne room.

"Avitus? What brings you here so early in the day?" Jareth asked as he took another sip.

"I could ask you the exact same thing," his advisor said as he walked into the room. "When I left last night, you were in this exact spot."

"I switched my sitting position nearly three hours ago," Jareth admitted.

"You're not even wed yet, and you are already unable to sleep without Sarah by your side," Avitus said, standing before his king.

"I never said that was the problem," Jareth said.

Avitus chuckled to himself as he shook his head. "His Majesty can, and will, do as he pleases." He placed his hand in his inner jacket pocket before tugging a white envelope out. "My-uh-my late wife always told me about Aboveground customs. I believe it's customary for the bride and groom to receive gifts from those who care about them. There's not much one can give a King and Queen that they don't have already have. So…"

Avitus held out his hand, offering Jareth the large envelope. A curious brow shot up on Jareth's face as a small smile tugged on his face.

"A gift? For me?" he asked as he stood to his feet, stepping down from his throne's dais. "If it's anything less than a written declaration that I'm the most humble king that ever lived, I'll be quite disappointed." Avitus said nothing as he handed over the contents to Jareth. A swift movement of his hand caused the seal on the enveloped to break. There was one sheet of thick stock paper inside that he carefully pulled out.

Avitus stood in a stoic manner as he tried to read the expression of the Goblin King. In Jareth's hands was a detailed pencil drawing of Sarah and Jareth huddled next to each other on a stone bench in the castle gardens. Sarah was wearing her typical Aboveground wardrobe while Jareth was depicted in his customary billowy shirt, pants, and boots. They were both smiling at the viewer, joy and happiness expressed on their faces. A large smile broke across Jareth's face as he continued to observe the portrait.

"I'm not going to claim that my talent could rival ours. However-"

Without warning, Avitus felt himself being grabbed and wrapped in a large hug.

"… I did my best," Avitus said, completing his sentence with a little shock in his voice. "Your Majesty?"

"Thank you," Jareth said, quietly, as he released his advisor. "For putting up with me all these years."

"I'm still your advisor," Avitus said with a small bow. "I'll still be putting up with your antics. However, I will always be grateful to Her Majesty for shouldering most of that burden now."

"I'll have this framed as soon as possible," Jareth said looking back down at the drawing. "I'm sure Sarah will be thrilled by this."

Avitus gave Jareth a deep bow before walking towards the door. "I have everything set out for you," he said before leaving. "We should plan to leave in about an hour."

"I'll be ready by then, _mother_ ," Jareth said as he walked up the dais to his throne to pick up his glass of wine.

"You already are a bastion of sarcasm," Avitus sighed. "I don't know why you need to add Queen Sarah's Aboveground antics into your repertoire." With that final remark, he left the King alone in his throne room. He was about to return to his seat when a series of chattering caught his attention. Jareth turned around to see a gaggle of goblins filing into the throne room. They weren't being too boisterous or at all disorderly, which was how they normally acted. He raised a curious eyebrow as he tilted his head in confusion. When the goblins finished their march into the room, they all turned to face the Goblin King

"What is the meaning of all this?" Jareth asked. "Planning a coup? I would like to see how that would play out."

"What's a coup?" a goblin standing over near the side of the wall wearing a bucket for a hat asked in a low gravelly voice.

"Oooh! Maybe it's something for chickens!" a goblin next to that goblin stated, his high pitched voice piercing Jareth's ears.

"For chickens?!" the entire room of goblin yelled.

Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ebb his feelings of frustrations. "It's not for bloody chickens, you fools!"

The room that had grown excited at the mention of chickens went still immediately.

"Your stupidity knows no bounds. Today of all days, you all have decided to break my peace and drive me mad," he stated as he sat down in his throne. The room was still quiet, even after his rant. "Is there a reason why you're not destroying this place?"

A medium sized goblin who had been standing in the middle of the throne room made his way toward the front of the crowd, and Jareth was certain he was carrying something. Jareth didn't remember the name of this particular goblin but knew that he didn't spend much time in the throne room. This goblin was one of the few who spent his time making the much beloved Goblin Ale. When he finally stood before Jareth, he held out the large glass bottle that he was holding.

"What is that?" Jareth asked with suspicion.

"We made…we made a special batch, just for you," the goblin responded, struggling to hold up the bottle.

"For me?" Jareth asked, more confused than ever. His eyes swept over the room before returning to the goblin in front of him. "What for?"

"Kingy's special day!" a small goblin yelled as his smile display long, pointed teeth.

"Special day!" a few goblins more yelled. "Special day!" Soon, the entire room erupted into yelling and cheering.

Surprising himself, Jareth actually laughed at the goblins' antics. He rose from his throne and walked down to stand before the goblin holding the ale as the cheering continued to increase before taking possession of the bottle.

"You are proper idiots. I hope you all realize that," he stated, his words being drown out by the yelling. Jareth then looked down at the bottle, admiring its contents. "I will be enjoying this thoroughly."

"Special day! Special Day!"

"Quiet!" Jareth yelled, giving them all an unpleasant scowl. The goblin obeyed immediately. They looked up at him, now afraid of what he might do. He then smiled at them before letting out a hardy laugh. "Well, laugh."

Suddenly, the entire room erupted into laughter as he walked toward the side door, leaving the jovial goblins behind.

* * *

"Look at all these flowers," Kalin said, bouncing around in her chair to see all the details. "I never thought this drab throne room could look so lovely."

"It was never drab, just highly traditional," Taggert corrected, keeping a firm hand on her leg to calm her down. "You need to calm down. Sitting in the front row already draws the attention of everyone in the room."

"I know," she squealed. "We're honored guest! Front row, center. This is just fabulous!" Kalin held her hands to her chest. "I never thought I would enjoy attending a wedding."

A fae guard caught the corner of Kalin's eye. "Your seat, Your Majesty." He moved off to the side to allow Gwendoline, Queen of the Elves access to her chair.

"Thank you," she said as she sat down next to the Pixie Queen. After smoothing out her dress, the Queen turned to the couple. "Considering the nobles of this land love to be fashionably late, I'm surprised this place is almost full an hour before the ceremony." She also did a quick look around the throne room, taking account that all the whispers that everyone was making which culminated into a dull roar.

"It's a must-see event," Kalin beamed. "The last time there was a wedding of this size was Oberon and Titania's, and no one liked them. Not much really a festive occasion. Ha! Ouch!" She looked down to see Taggert pinching her thigh.

"Weddings are never the time to bring up the past," he warned. "Especially _that_ past."

Kalin's face fell as she appeared to be ashamed of herself. "Oops. I got carried away."

"Kalin, you wouldn't be you if you didn't allow yourself to be carried away every once in a while," Gwendoline chuckled, finding her own joke funny.

"I should be annoyed that everyone keeps saying that about me," Kalin said, rolling her eyes. "But, I'm used to it by now."

The noticeable murmurs throughout the room slowly began to wane until the room fell completely silent.

"Oh, that's odd," Kalin whispered to Gwendoline. "Why did everyone go quiet?"

"Is this a wedding or a funeral?" the voice asked.

Kalin and Gwendoline both looked up to see Lochlan sitting down next to Taggert. Kalin looked over her shoulder to see a majority of those in attendance were staring at the Unseelie King.

"Talk about making an entrance," Taggert teased.

"I don't see how it's my fault that I'm so striking," Lochlan said, straightening his deep purple suit jacket.

"Nice to see you've decided to change up your wardrobe- for once," Taggert said, turning his torso so that he could face Lochlan.

"That's amazing to hear coming from someone who tends to wander around naked," he retorted. "And how horrid is this whole affair for you? In human form with proper clothing on? Must be hell."

"Is it odd being in a clean and decorated space or do you yearn to see this place covered in grime?" Taggert asked.

"Oh, will you two just grow up?" Kalin hissed, causing them both to stop their bickering and stare at her "Either you two make nice or just stare at the floor."

Taggert turned back to Lochlan and gave him a shrug.

Lochlan looked at Kalin over Taggert's shoulder. "Why the hell is she so irritable?

* * *

Jareth gazed at his appearance in the mirror as he fidgeted with his hair.

"I believe that's the most amount of care I've seen you give your hair in a long time," Avitus remarked as he held Jareth's tailcoat in his arms. "Am I to believe that you are nervous? Anxious even?"

"I feel fine," he stated as he undid his white cravat and began retying it again. "I merely didn't sleep as much as I should have."

"The fact that you are still standing without noticeable bags under your eyes is a feat unto itself," Avitus pointed out.

Jareth sighed as he finished with his shirt and hair. He walked over to Avitus before presenting his back to him, allowing his advisor to help in put on his jacket.

"That you forced me to eat an entire loaf of bread before arriving here probably was helpful," Jareth said, straightening the cuffs of his shirt.

"Yes, well, we don't need you throwing up in Her Majesty," Avitus joked. "She would be very upset. However, Lydia will have your head." Jareth turned from Avitus and walked toward the door. "Eager to see the fruits of all your labor," the advisor asked as he followed closely behind.

Jareth paused for a moment as his hand rested on the door handle. "I only wish to see my… wife."

* * *

"Ow!" Sarah yelled.

"Stop complaining," Tali chided.

"You scratched me," Sarah retorted.

"On accident, with one nail," she said as she gently tugged on the lace on the back of Sarah's dress. Tali walked in front of Sarah to ensure everything was in place. "Wait a minute." She moved close to Sarah and readjusted the tiara on her head. "Just have to make sure it's straight."

"You said that the five other times you messed with it," Sarah said.

"Do you want to look nice or not?" Tali asked.

"I think I would look amazing with a lopsided crown," Sarah joked. The leveled stare she received from Tali told her that her joke didn't go over well. "I'll just let you do what you need to do."

"And that's all I'm asking for," she said as she continued to her nitpicking over Sarah's appearance. Sarah looked down, watching Tali remove any stray fabric she came across.

"Thank you, Tali," Sarah said. "Not just for ensuring I don't look crazy in front of the Court. For everything, you know."

"Nope," Tali said as she stood upright. "You're not going to make me cry." She moved Sarah's veil to front so the fabric covered her shoulder. "There you go. Now, you don't look pregnant."

Sarah was so caught off by the comment that she let out a loud laugh that carried throughout the hallways. Hearing her voice echo, she covered her mouth with her hands.

"Nice going," Tali snickered. "That was really loud. I wonder if they heard you inside the throne room."

* * *

Jareth never gave this portion of the ceremony much thought, however, standing on the dais with only the High Seer as everyone looked up at him was something he wished he could avoid. The room went silent when he entered nearly ten minutes ago. The music began to slowly fill the room. The various string instruments played off to the side. Fiddling with his cuffs, he had finally grown accustomed to stillness that filled the room. Suddenly, the sound of faded laughter found its way into the throne room. Many of the guest looked at each other and then around them, trying to figure out where it came from. However, Jareth smiled as he stared at the double doors on the other side of the room.

Two guards slipped through the double doors and gave a nod to the High Seer, who was standing behind Jareth.

"All rise for the High Queen of the Seelie Court!" The High Seer commanded. The heavy, wooden double doors, flanked by the two guards, slowly creaked opened as the orchestra began to play.

Jareth hadn't fully prepared himself for the heated jolt Sarah's arrival would have on him. Any sort of preparation he could have taken fell by the wayside when she walked through those doors. His breathing hitched as he willed his body to stay standing on the dais, even though he wanted to meet her. As she walked down the aisle, Sarah's ivory dress covered her feet, giving her the appearance that she was slowly gliding toward him. With a bouquet of purple peonies clutched in her hands, Sarah never allowed her eyes to gaze on anyone but Jareth.

While he doubted that the audience noticed, the High Seer looked to the Seelie Queen and then back to Jareth and could tell that the Goblin King was trying his hardest to keep his composure. He didn't blame the young king who had a reputation in the Court for his distance and aloofness. But losing Jareth cool in front of a large audience wouldn't be good for his image, the High Seer imagined. Even though he was to wait patiently for Sarah to arrive, Jareth instead walked down as Sarah approached the stairs.

"What are you doing?" she asked him under her breath, more confused than upset. He placed her hand around his forearm as he kissed her cheek. A small smile crossed his face as he escorted her up to the dais.

"I love you," he whispered as he kissed the shell of her ear. Sarah's hand briefly caressed the side of his face before she kissed the corner of his mouth.

"I love you too," Sarah replied.

The High Seer cleared his throat, attaining their attention. "You two shouldn't be skipping ahead. I'm starting to feel useless up here," he announced as the wedding guest laughed in amusement.

* * *

Sarah and Jareth kiss lasted much too long, Toby told himself as he gazed into the crystal Jareth gave him. He was completely astounded by how much the crystal allowed him to see and how clear the images were.

"Gross," he chuckled as he witnessed the seemingling endless sensuous assault on his sister after they were pronounced husband and wife. "You guys will never not be gross."

"What's gross?" his dad asked as he popped his head into Toby's room.

Toby nearly dropped the crystal before returning it to his desk and quickly turning around. "Um, nothing," he said, trying to be nonchalant. When his father raised a suspicious brow, he amended his words. "People. People are gross- kissing and stuff."

Robert laughed. "Did you accidentally get a hold of one of your mother's old paperback novels?"

Toby face fell into a deep frown. "Why is everyone so disgusting?"

"Whenever I think that you are growing up to fast, I'm reminded by how much growing up you have to do," he said as he walked into the room.

"Did you walk in here just to creep me out about life in general or what?" Toby asked, frown still firmly in place.

"You know, I've noticed a few times when I've picked you up at school that there's a red headed girl who stares at you at the waiting area," Robert teased. "Maybe you should invite her to dinner."

"Stop being repulsive!" Toby cried out while covering his face.

"Ah!" Robert said with a clap of his hand. "I knew those creative writing classes would come into use."

* * *

"What's wrong with you?" Sarah asked. "I haven't seen you smile for this long. Are you drunk?"

"I was earlier," Jareth admitted as he guided his new bride across the ballroom floor. Since this was their first dance, the wedding guests were standing to the side, watching the couple dance while chamber music played.

"Are you simply happy that you no longer have to yell at the servants to decorate this place?" she asked. "You did well by the way. Who knew you had an eye for decorating?"

"I have an eye for beautiful things," he said before placing a quick kiss on her neck. "However, I gave up on worrying about these decorations a while ago."

"You mean when I yelled at you over being too overbearing," Sarah corrected.

"A queen shouldn't use such language to describe her new husband," Jareth said before giving her a twirl. When she returned to him, she slung her arms around his neck as his hands rested on her hips. "This is an extremely different way to dance."

"I don't care," she stated. "The music is about to end, and I'm just happy that everything is done and to be married- just like you."

"It's a good thing this is about to end," he said. "This music is atrocious. If I knew Lydia had such horrid taste in music, I would never have left her in charge."

* * *

"Are they intending to lull us to sleep with this music?" Lochlan asked as he grabbed another flute of campaign from the passing servant's tray. He quickly downed its contents. "Aren't we supposed to watch the newlyweds dance instead of falling asleep at their feet?"

"I was wondering how long it would take for you to complain," Tali mused before taking a sip of her drink. "And how many of those have you had?"

"If they continue to serve them, I don't see why I can't have as many as possible," he explained as he placed his empty flute on another servant's tray before grabbing another glass.

"Being around all these Seelies can't be that horrible," she teased, giving him a little jab. Lochlan said nothing but gave her a stern look while downing his drink.

"You're so dramatic," she said with a huff, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes. Tali jumped a little when she felt his arm wrap around her waist as his breath tickled her neck.

"Being around all these people is a bore," he said as his head lowered to her neck. "The hallway or a side room could be much more interesting for the two of us." Lochlan's teeth nipped her ear.

"Can you spend a few moments enjoying the reception that your brother put together to celebrate his wedding?" Tali asked, turning around in his arm.

"I'm drinking the champagne, am I not?" he countered as he stood up straight. When he tipped his head back to drink, Lochlan noticed from the corner of his eye a small group of faes huddled in a tight circle, whispering to themselves and gawking at him. Lochlan sneered at the group. "I'm now brother to the Queen. You'd think they'd cease their gawking."

"Don't worry about them," Tali instructed as she hooked her left arm around his arm. She reached her right hand up to caress his cheek before guiding him down to her lips. After several seconds, she released her hold on him, smiling at the dazed look on his face.

"I'm all for upstaging others, but you really shouldn't do such things at the High Queen's wedding," a voice said after clearing her throat. Both Tali and Lochlan looked over to see Kalin and Taggert standing in front of them.

"Don't listen to her," Taggert said. "This is surprisingly more entertaining than watching people dance."

Kalin jabbed her elbow into his side, causing him to double over. "That's not how we should talk about Her Majesty at her wedding surrounded by guests," she said through clenched teeth.

"You're needlessly tense, Kalin," Lochlan chuckled, taking another sip from his glass. "Although now that I think about it, that is unfortunately your overall demeanor."

"Oh shut up, black eyes," she spat.

Lochlan turned to Tali. "Are you going to allow her to speak to me like that?" he joked.

"What?" Tali shrugged. "You do have black eyes." Another server stopped next to Tali allowing her to grab another glass. "Here, Kalin. You know you can't deal with him for a long period of time without a drink in your hand."

Kalin glared that the drink in the half-elf's hand with a distinct look of disgust and nausea. "No, thank you," she whispered.

"Are you serious?" Tali asked, not believing her ears.

"No need to ask that fae twice," Lochlan stated as he took the offered drink from Tali.

Tali continued to stare at Kalin before the Pixie Queen raised her eyebrow daring the half-elf to say anything more. Tali moved her attention to Taggert who was drinking his glass while giving her a quick wink. Tali's mouth opened in surprised but shut quickly after the death stare she received from Kalin.

"I'm now suspicious that something between the three of you is happening without me," Lochlan pondered. "I'm not quite sure how I feel about that."

* * *

The music came to a slow stop as the guest began clapping. Even though there was much commotion occurring around them, Jareth paid them no mind, keeping his eyes fixed on Sarah and hers on him.

Jareth brought a hand up toward her face and combed through her tresses. His hand rested at the base of her head before placing a kiss on her lips. He placed small pecks down her cheek.

"This is such a dreadful party," he whispered in her ear as he nuzzled her neck.

"We should fire the party planner," Sarah responded with a snicker, dividing her attention between Jareth and the amused looks of the crowd. "I heard he was dreadful to work with and too expensive with his ghastly yet gaudy taste."

Jareth stood up straight, cocking his head to the side with a sly smile on his face. He brought his gloved hand up to her field of vision. With a snap of his gloved fingers, they disappeared from the ballroom.

"I just knew he would pull some shit like this," Kalin remarked as she popped a canape into her mouth. Right after she did that, Kalin ran to the wall, finding a bin to vomit into.

* * *

Sarah took a quick look around her and couldn't help but laugh as she gently shoved him away from her.

"It's rude to leave our own party earlier," she said, gently reprimanding him. "What you did was very _gauche,_ which is what some of the nobles will be saying right now."

"Nonsense," Jareth said, sauntering to her. "I have every intention of returning us to that room full of rowdy drunks." Without warning, he lifted her up into her arms, much to Sarah's consternation.

"No. No," she objected as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "What are you doing? Why are you doing this?"

"Is this not a staple Aboveground?" he asked as he walked them into their bedchamber.

"Not really," she mumbled. "And, I didn't ask for this."

"I would happily toss you over my shoulder, but I doubt our children would appreciate that," Jareth said.

"And me," Sarah pointed out. "Me. I would not like that." In response, Jareth gently tossed her on their bed. She pushed herself up to lean on her forearms while moving closer to the top of the bed. "You're so obnoxious."

"Too late to run away now, Precious," he proclaimed as he quickly rid himself of his jack before moving on to unbuckling his belt. "You said yes to me already."

"We're leaving tonight on our honeymoon," she explained as she watched him remove his belt. "You didn't have to be so hasty." The bed dipped as he climbed into bed.

"But why waste my feeling of bliss on dancing when I am able to express my feelings in a more effective way," Jareth confessed as he moved to hover over her. He dipped his head to place two kisses on the mounds of her breast that peaked through her dress. "I didn't want to spend these moments of on display. Our guest will be properly entertained. I made sure of it."

"Of course, you planned this," Sarah sighed as Jareth gathered the fabric at the bottom of her dress and pushed it up to her waist. "Don't you dare ruin this dress. Considering how much nonsense I had to put up with the get this thing finished, I will be so mad…"

Jareth pushed her upper body down to the mattress. "I'll do my best to comply with Her Majesty's orders."

 

 


	27. Chapter 27

_For once I can touch what my heart used to dream of_  
_Long before I knew_  
_Someone warm like you_  
_Would make my dreams come true_

* * *

"How bad is it?"

"Obviously, it's not a horrible situation; he's still alive after all."

"Why must you always wedge yourself into conversations, Kalin?"

"Why are you telling me not to interrupt when you are the one who is now derailing this entire conversation?"

"Well, you _did_ start it."

"Oh, you too? I just stated that it couldn't be that bad. Besides, he's the newest crowned monarch among us. He deserves a little taunting."

"If you wished to play these juvenile games, you should have done that at his coronation, something the immensely classy fae like you would do."

From then on, the room descended into barely controlled chaos as the ruling monarchs of the Seelie Court. The only ones who were not involved in the bickering were Sarah, Rhys, King of the Dwarves, Cillian, King of the Giants, and the recently crowned King of the Trolls, Brennan. Although her father was known to summon all the rulers of the Court in times of crisis, Sarah decided that holding summits twice a year would solidify the bonds that the members of the Court every nation had with each other as well as being able to stop any signs of trouble before they get out of hand. But at this moment, the only problem that Sarah uncovered was Kalin, Jareth, Taggert, and Gwendoline taking cheap shot at each other.

Currently sitting at the head of the dark wooded table, Sarah briefly closed her eyes as she absentmindedly rubbed her hand over her distended belly. She was told this was possible her final month of being pregnant and she couldn't be more thrilled with that news. Sarah would be able to exhibit how thrilled she was if the almost daily migraines weren't an issue. And this motley crew wasn't helping anything.

If she wasn't impeded by the fact that he wasn't further down the table, Sarah would have reached out to strangle Jareth since he above everyone else knew how short her temper could become if pushed. But all this was sort of her fault really, she surmised. It didn't matter that both Kalin and Jareth showed up a bit late for the meeting; those two shouldn't be allowed to sit across from each other- ever.

Her hand left her abdomen before slamming on the table top. The chatter ceased immediately as everyone turned to face the Queen of the Seelies.

"Shut. Up," she ordered slowly and quietly. "I will throw a chair at the next person who talks without permission who isn't Brennan. Have I made myself clear?" Sarah noticed that no one was saying anything. "You can nod or something."

Everyone around the table had enough common sense to look ashamed of their actions before giving a nod of agreement. Everyone's attention turned to the King of the Trolls again.

"You have the floor… again," Sarah told Brennan who was sitting to her left.

"Um, yes, thank you, Your Majesty," he said. "Well, to answer your question, it's- it's not bad."

"If it's good, then why are we talking about it?" Jareth snipped as he reclined in his chair. "Bloody waste of time."

Suddenly, a red crystal flew by his head, nearly hitting him. Everyone else went still, afraid to make a wrong move in anticipation of what might happen. Jareth stared at the crystal on the ground before turning to Sarah, his face full of amusement.

"My apologies," Jareth mumbled after seeing how not amused his wife was. He rubbed his face with his gloved hand, trying not to laugh at the situation. "Continue, Brennan."

The young Troll King took a deep breath as he tried to get his story out for the third time. "These incidents have been occurring for a while now. My father never felt the need to bring up these incidents with the previous monarchy. However, I would be remiss if I never brought this to your attention and something horrible happened."

"What did you mean earlier when you said that it's becoming difficult to control them?" Sarah asked. "When I was visiting your kingdom, you and others made it sound like Trolls were a bunch of nitwits."

"Most are… less than smart," Brennan said, choosing his words wisely. "However, there are a few who are smarter than the average troll. Remember, Your Majesty, someone had to lead a revolt against the Unseelies long ago."

Leaning back in her chair, Sarah mulled over what he said. She never gave it much thought, but someone had to instigate that revolt years ago.

"Do you believe what is occurring now will lead to another rebellion?" she questioned.

Brennan looked down at his hands before looking up at her. "I honestly don't know."

Kalin who was sitting next to Brennan raised her hand in the air, like a child in grade school. Sarah squinted at the Pixie Queen, confused by her overt actions.

"Yes, Kalin," Sarah said, slightly exasperated.

"But where are they going to go?" she asked, pulling her arm down into her lap. "They don't care for the Unseelies. I assume they hate us-"

"We can't make that harsh of an assumption," Rhys chimed in.

"We should at least consider some worst case scenarios here," Kalin countered. "I thought that's why this was brought up."

"This was brought up because Brennan is trying to find a way to stop the worst case scenario," Sarah said, forcefully, as her eyes moved from Kalin to Rhys before returning to Brennan. "What do they want? Do you know?"

"Probably more rocks," Kalin mumbled.

"Maybe a small faction wish to start eating faes and elves again," Jareth said casually as he looked down, straightening the gloves on his hands. "Maybe they possibly want to find the veil to go Aboveground to eat humans."

"That's a horrible joke, Jareth," Kalin chastised.

"I wasn't joking," he stated as he glared at the Pixie Queen.

An uncomfortable and grim silence filled the air.

"I don't really believe that might be the reason," Brennan said, trying to assuage their fears.

"Why is that?" Sarah asked.

"So far it seems to be just about land," he answered. "Some of the fae villages that are away from the castle, we've relocated, giving more room to the Trolls."

"And when they want more?" Jareth asked.

"Maybe this is all about space," Sarah said. "These villages scattered throughout your kingdom, yes?"

Brennan answered with a simple nod.

Sarah dropped her head in her hand before racking her fingers through her locks.

"Your subjects may not like it," she postulated. "However, you should relocate them, all of them."

"I realize that the Troll Kingdom has the smallest population of us all," Taggert pointed out. "But isn't that much, moving everyone from their homes?"

"Well, the trolls were there first," Kalin muttered under her breath.

"If the villagers wish to stay," Sarah said. "Then they can. But let them know that you cannot guarantee their safety is they do."

"And move them closer to the castle?" Brennan asked.

"That's what I had in mind," she said. "The castle can give them the greatest amount of protection, and, if worse comes to worst, the castle is located near the border- an easy evacuation point."

"I don't doubt the understanding nature of the other members of the court," Rhys said. "But I don't see how this won't get out of hand if we tell everyone the real reason why this plan is being implemented. There's no way to contain the amount of chatter that will occur when villages are being abandoned."

"We can tell them why, just not the reason," Sarah said. "The trolls are larger and need more space. We came to an agreement with them that would allow for such an arraignment. I believe that reasoning would work."

"I'm sure there are some out there who think that we should use magic against them," Gwendoline said. "Fae magic far surpasses anything that the Trolls could conjure up."

"We have the power. And although our magic is more powerful than our, they also have some magic, coupled that with their brute strength and stamina," Jareth mentioned. "We can't have magic controlling the trolls twenty-four seven for all eternity. Once we use that against them, we will truly have mayhem and bloodshed."

"Do you think this idea would work, Brennan?" Sarah asked. He was silent for a moment as he felt everyone at the table staring at him.

"I believe so," Brennan said. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Fantastic," Sarah said. "When you get back to your kingdom, send a rough estimate of the relocation cost and time frame. Make sure you give updates to Cardwell at least once a week. I want to make sure that this goes as smoothly as possible." Brennan gave a grateful smile as he bowed his head slightly. Sarah turned to behind her to Cormac who was sitting quietly in the corner of the room. "Did you get all of that?"

Jareth looked behind Sarah to see the elf sitting in the chair. "When the hell did he get here?"

* * *

"And make sure you know not to take anything Jareth says personally," Tali said as she escorted Maia to the royal chambers of the Seelie Court.

"You've said that like five times already," Maia pointed out as they came to a stop before a large wooden door.

"I know, but that fact can't be stressed enough," Tali said, giving her friend a serious stare. "You've spent some time around him already, but this won't be the same. Fates know, he'll be more acerbic after the babies are born- at least, until he is settled in to his new role of father." The half-elf opened the door and ushering Maia in before shutting the door behind them.

"Oh wow," Maia remarked as she looked around the room. "This is a, uh, large nursery."

"That's putting it mildly," Tali said with a laugh.

The room was grandiose with three tall windows evenly spaced on the back wall, with long heavy beige drapes flanking all of them. Heavily upholstered with a tuft button design, the two cribs were settled up against the wall to the right. Toys, blankets, changing tables, and a few rocking chairs were strategically placed throughout the room.

"Hey," Tali called out. "Don't get overwhelmed. You are in the Seelie Palace, remember?"

"Yeah, I know," Maia said as she looked up at the ceiling. "But I've never taken care of children who had two crystal chandeliers in their nursery."

"Only the best. And make sure you always use the main door to the nursery," she said. Tali then pointed to the door to Maia's left. "The only time you should even consider opening that door without permission is in the event of an emergency."

"That door-"

"Leads to the royal bedchamber," Tali interrupted. "Always knock. Always get verbal authorization before entering. You'll regret it if you do."

Maia walked over to one of the wicker baskets placed at the foot of one of the cribs. She kneeled down, admiring the overstuffed blanket and white teddy bear.

"Jareth designed this, with very little help from Sarah, just so you know," Tali stated. Maia looked over at her, not believing what she just heard. "I know, crazy. Who would have thought that a king who allows such filth in his throne room would design such a sterile yet wholesome environment for his children."

"The king is well-known for his capricious ways," Maia chuckled as she stood to her feet.

"Come on," Tali said as she gestured to the main door. "It's almost time for your meeting with Sarah and Jareth. Remember don't take anything he says personally."

* * *

"You should rest for now, Sarah," Jareth said as he carefully observed his wife as they both stood in the middle of the Palace's greenhouse. The frigid, barren landscape outside was in stark contrast to the warm, lively plants that inhabited the greenhouse.

"No, I'm okay," she panted as she paced back and forth in a section of the Palace gardens. "I just need a second."

"If you are putting on some sort of bravado-"

"I'm not," Sarah insisted.

"I would hate for some adverse effect occur because you decided to push yourself," he said, trying not to become aggravated.

"Don't be so nervous," she said, placing her hands on her back before stretching out the kinks. "You're only teaching me how to better hone my magic, not how to run cross-country." The look Jareth gave her showed that he did not believe her. "How many times do I have to tell you that I wouldn't do anything to harm myself or them?"

Jareth dropped his arms to his side as he acquiesced to her wishes, giving up any will to argue with her. "However, we will stop after this."

"Okay," Sarah simply shrugged. "But if I don't finally get this after this attempt, we'll try after dinner."

"We'll try again on tomorrow," he amended.

"But-"

"Tomorrow, Sarah," Jareth emphatically stated. "You're done after this."

"All right," she agreed with a huff.

"Now, you are not able to transport the stone bench," he said. "So, try transporting that rock next to me." Jareth pointed to the small stone next to Sarah.

"You mean that pebble?" Sarah joked.

"I realize that even that might be an insurmountable task for you, but do try, Sarah," Jareth quipped.

Sarah's nostrils flared as she released a grunt in frustration. She pointed her hand down toward the stone, willing her magic to do as she commanded. After a few minutes, the stone was still in place, causing Sarah frustration.

"Breathe," Jareth instructed her. His arms were crossed across his chest as he studied her movements judiciously. "You know that your magic doesn't react well to your negative emotions."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered. Sarah willed herself to steady her breathing as she closed her eyes. _Visualize where I want it to go_ , she thought to herself, remembering what Jareth told her. Sarah doesn't know how much time passed, but she wasn't going to let her frustrations derail her this time.

"Sarah."

She shook her head trying to get his voice out of her mind.

"Sarah."

Her eyes stayed closed as she still tried to focus.

"Sarah!"

"What!" she yelled as she opened her eyes to glare her displeasure at him.

He gave her a smirk as he pointed at the ground, next to his boot.

"So? It's a rock," she shrugged, annoyed that he disturbed her concentration. Suddenly, the truth dawned on her. "That's a rock! Is that my rock?"

"Yes, do you want to name it?" he asked with a smirk.

"It's my rock!" Sarah exclaimed as she rushed over to it. She was about to bend down to pick up the stone, but Jareth stopped her.

"Don't," he commanded as he knelt down to pick up the item. "You shouldn't be bending over." A moment later, he stood up straight before handing the rock to her.

"I could have picked that up," she replied.

"Yes, but getting back up has become a problem for you these days," Jareth said. "You might have fallen on your back, resembling a turtle on its shell." Then, he leaned over to place a kiss on her cheek. However, Sarah moved away from him.

"You can't make fun of me and then try to kiss me," Sarah said, trying not to laugh.

"And miss any chance to hear you laugh, never," he said.

Sarah wouldn't admit it to him, but, ironically, nothing took her mind off of her pregnancy than Jareth teasing her about how ridiculous she looked.

"I can't believe I was able to finally do it," she said as she gawked at the rock in her hand like it was a priceless artifact.

"This is an interesting thing to ponder," Jareth stated.

"Hm? What do you mean?" she asked, looking up from gazing at the stone.

"So far, after much effort, you were finally able to move something small, that rock, but nothing larger," he explained. "And you are able to move yourself from room to room, but not to, say, my castle, let alone Aboveground."

"That doesn't sound annoying at all," Sarah said, sarcastically, as she steadied herself to sit down on the ground.

Jareth tried to stop her. "Don't sit…"

"Too late," she grunted with a smile as she finally made her way to the ground. Sarah stretched out, laying in the grass as she noticed Jareth's shadow getting closer to her.

"It's going to take you at least half a day to get up," he chastised her as his face came into her view.

"That's why you're here," she said. "You're main job until I give birth is to pull me off the ground, ensuring I don't turn into a distressed turtle."

"Does that come with an official title?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered. "His Majesty, Noble Lifter of the Round Tummies."

"Are you determined to simply lie on the ground?" Jareth asked as he scrutinized her.

"Why are you asking that as though there is something wrong with this?" she countered. "It's winter now. Why would I not want to relish this little bit of greenery. Plus, standing is a bitch."

"If your feet were bothering you," he said as he gracefully dropped to the ground. "You should have said something sooner. I told you not to exert yourself today. Take off your shoes." Sarah kicked off her shoes as Jareth removed his gloves before his hands moved to her feet.

"Oww!" Sarah hissed in pain as he kneaded the bottom of her feet.

"Serves you right, you stubborn git," Jareth said, chastising her as he continued his ministrations.

"Hey, be nice to me," she snapped as she gave him a quick glare before returning her attention to the glass ceiling. "I want to get better at this. The Court shouldn't have an inept Queen as their leader."

"And who said you were inept?"

"I did," she answered. "I have to improve my abilities. If I don't, word will get around how weak I am. Also, how can I teach my children how to use their magic when I can barely utilize my own? I bet you never thought of that, have you? I mean, they'll never respect me. I need their respect, right? I think that's super important. How can I raise them to not be complete and utter assholes if they don't have some sort of deference toward me? And how-"

"Sarah?" he called out to her, interrupting her rant.

"What?"

"You really must stop with these existential ramblings," he said, his hands continue to move from the ball of her feet to the tips of her toes. "They've gotten worse in the past month."

"You shouldn't dismiss my concerns," Sarah told him quietly. "These aren't dumb concerns." Jareth stopped what he was doing for a moment.

"Are you about to cry?" he asked her.

"No," Sarah mumbled as she wiped her face.

"Liar," Jareth accused before tickling her toes, trying to lighten her mood.

"Don't do that," she ordered, kicking his hands away. "And don't make me feel stupid."

"I never have nor will I ever wished to make you feel _stupid_ ," he sighed. He placed her feet on the ground before moving up to where she was laying her head. Jareth lay down so that his head was next to hers.

"Are you going to talk about how all of this is just hormones and tumultuous magic making me feel this way?" Sarah asked. "Because I got that dumb talk from Rowena yesterday, and I don't need to hear any more of it."

"You can feel any way you want to feel," Jareth said as he grabbed her hand, holding it tight in his own. "But know that all this worrying will do nothing but cause you grief and pain." Sarah said nothing as Jareth kissed the back of her hand. They laid there quietly for a while before Sarah's began sniffling. Jareth turned on his side to look at his wife attempting to fight back the tears.

"Oh god, are we going to have screwed up kids!?" she blurted out as she burst into tears.

Jareth held her face and then placing kisses on her forehead as her crying subsided.

"Shh, Sarah," he said, trying to calm her down. "Of course, these children will be _screwed_ up, as you say. Have you met their father? He's an complete twit." Sarah stopped her crying, allowing herself to release an amused snort before letting out a loud laugh.

"You say ridiculous things sometimes," she said between sniffles as she brought up her hand to caress his face.

"I believe you meant to say my words are a mark of genius," Jareth corrected her. The sound of the howling wind intensified as they heard the door to the greenhouse open.

"Heavens above, it's cold outside!" Lydia's voice rang throughout the large space.

"I've been told that snow and wind tend to do that," Jareth yelled back at her.

After a few minutes of searching, Lydia found the royal couple lying on the grass.

"You knew I was in here, looking for you," she said. "Why didn't you let me know where you were?"

"I can't move on my own," Sarah said, offering her own excuse.

"I simply didn't want to," Jareth confessed.

"Cormac has received all the recent reports from your envoys of the Court," Lydia said, trying to not to feel irritated. "He wished for me to inform you that he is ready to meet with you when you are ready."

Sarah tried to push herself up to stand but couldn't manage to move any further after sitting up.

"Ensure that you don't exert yourself, Precious," Jareth said as he stood to his feet. He leaned down to grab her forearms and pulled her to her feet. "You don't want to explode yet."

"Don't mention my pregnancy and exploding in the same breath ever again," Sarah said before disappearing, leaving Jareth and Lydia in the greenhouse.

"I never thought you two could be closer after your wedding, but here you are, hovering over her until she gives birth," Lydia said. "I hear some are shocked that you are still so attentive. I sometimes think people expected you to take advantage of your station now that you two are formally wed."

"It is part of my job, my duty, as her husband," he said. Jareth walked over to a flowering bush and picked one of its flowers. He intended to place it in a vase next to Sarah's nightstand, knowing this particular flower was one of her favorites.

"What do you mean? What is your duty?"

"To continually woo my wife," Jareth answered. "Ensuring she chooses me every day."

* * *

"Ah!" the elf healer cried out as he watched in horror as he saw the bit of liquid iron snake into his veins.

Her hands glowing blue, Tali snatched the healer's arm and quickly pulled the iron out of his body, all the while he continued to cry out in pain. Tali moved her hand over to the bottle that contained the rest of the iron and deposited the offensive stuff inside the container.

"Thank you," he said, exhaling the breath he'd been holding.

"You weren't focused," Tali snapped at him, causing him and the other healers in the group to sit up straight. She had been firm in her dealings with them, but she never lashed out like this before. "You cared more about what could happen if you lost control of the iron. If you lose your focus, you'll lose control of the iron, and if that happens, you'll die. You can't think about yourself when dealing with this."

The group of half a dozen healers stared at her as she finished her rant.

Tali stood up but motioned for the others to stay seated. "Stay here," she said. And then, she left the room, leaving them behind. Once she was in the hallway, Tali released a frustrated groan as she covered her face with her hands.

"Who would have thought that this would be a frustrating experience that you would later regret saying yes to?" a well-known smug voice said behind her. "Oh, that's right. I did."

Tali wearily turned her head to the side, seeing the self-satisfying grin on Lochlan's face.

"Oh, could you not start with that?" Tali asked. "I really don't need your attitude right now."

"Now, is that any way to treat the host for you event?" he countered as he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her back against his chest.

"I told Sarah I would do this for all the healers in the Court," she said. "I just never realized how difficult it is to teach a group of individuals who think they know everything."

"Faes who believe they know everything? Those are horrid creatures to be around," Lochlan teased after giving her ear a nip. Tali turned around in his arms, giving him an annoyed look. "Have they truly made you this sullen? Not in the mood to laugh? Do I need to throw some of those invalids to my pookahs?"

"Have you forgotten that the reason why the healers came here is to improve the perception of the Unseelie Court to the Seelies?" Tali asked.

Lochlan shrugged. "Some things just can't be helped."

"Go on now," Tali said as she gave him a slight push away. "Give me one hour and then we'll be done, and your castle can go back to being free of all these Seelies."

"Except you," he amended. "I'm keeping you."

* * *

"At one point, if someone told me I had to spend all day in bed," Sarah said. "I would be thrilled. Now, I want to burn this mattress. Probably this room. I don't like this room anymore."

"I believe Her Majesty is being a bit reckless with her words," Cormac said as he sat next to the bed, handing her a set of papers.

"Says you," she groused as she looked over the papers she was handed. "You don't have the pleasure of working in bed. Takes out all the fun of being in bed."

"I'm not going to comment on that," Cormac said. "But you know better than I how important it is for you to stay in bed during these final days of your pregnancy. I doubt the healer would be happy to hear about your trek to the greenhouse today."

"Maybe it's a trick. Maybe Rowena thought it would be funny to ensure I stay pregnant longer," she postulated. "That's a dirty trick if it's true."

" _If_ it's true," Cormac pointed out. "If you are growing bored in here, maybe you can appoint a royal jester."

"Really? A royal jester?" Sarah said, giving her advisor a curious look. "There are many things wrong with that suggestion. First being, that, no offense, but it's bad enough that you are in my bedchamber. I don't need more people in here."

"No offense taken," Cormac said with a small laugh.

"Second," she said as she fully sat up in the bed before carefully pushing herself back to rest against the plush headboard. "Why do I need a Court jester when I have-"

Cormac looked up at Sarah when she stopped talking to see her face scrunched in pain as her mouth was opened wide, a silent scream trying to vocalize itself.

"Your Majesty!" he yelled as he shot to his feet.

"Oh god!" she finally yelled as her back went straight and her head stared at the ceiling. "What?! No!"

"I'm going to get Rowena," he said. However, Sarah reached out and grabbed his shirt, stopping him from leaving.

"UHH! Don't go," she ground out between deep breaths. Her shoulders slacked as she released his garments. "I'm fine. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Cormac asked, still standing. "These have been happening within the past hour, and yesterday-"

"I'm fine, I swear," Sarah reassured him. She pushed the blankets off her as she moved to get out of the bed. Cormac moved to her side in an attempt to help her up, but she moved him away. "I can get up by myself." When she placed her feet down on the ground, she nearly fainted. Thankfully, Cormac was already there to help her not to drop to the floor. She looked to her advisor and gave him an apologetic yet thankful look.

"All right. Maybe I do need a little help."

* * *

Dressed in his regalia, Jareth stood in the middle of his throne room as he looked down at the small child who was cradled in his arms. The stars twinkled as he looked out the window to gaze upon the Goblin City.

"Your Majesty," Avitus said quietly behind him. Jareth slowly turned around to see his advisor and Darcy standing at the entrance of the throne room. He raised a questioning brow to the fae as he returned his attention to the sleeping child in his hand. "I believe I should remind you that we need to begin the process of giving the child a new family."

"Of course," he whispered. Jareth walked over to the medium sized goblin and reluctantly relinquished the child to her. Darcy carefully held the child, ensuring she didn't cause any disruptions in the babe's sleep. "I'll finish the paperwork in a little while."

Darcy gave a quick nod before leaving down the hallway. Jareth said nothing as he turned around to walk to his throne.

"You've always had an affinity for children," Avitus said. "Yet, you seemed more attached to that babe than others in the past. Should I send a letter to Her Majesty, letting her know what is occurring before you grow attach to every child you see?"

"You're a bloody idiot," he said before sitting down in his throne. "Send word out that I'll be postponing court for a few days. I will be of no use to anyone with such little sleep. The fool wasted ten hours before giving up."

"Humans are peculiar people," Avitus stated. "This human in particular. He refused to give up but only walked back and forth between the walls for hours."

"What's done is done," Jareth declared. "Daybreak will occur shortly. I should head back to the Palace. That obnoxious human caused me to spend more time away from Sarah than I intended."

"That may be true, but I believe Her Majesty told you to spend as much time here as needed," Avitus pointed out. Jareth turned his head to glare at his advisor. Avitus had the good sense to look contrite. "It's understandable that she would want to be left alone at times, considering how difficult everything is on her."

"Sarah's always been too bloody stubborn," Jareth mused. "I thought she would be more willing to accept my help, any help, when she found out she was pregnant, but it seems that she is more defiant than ever."

Jareth and Avitus nearly jumped for their respective positions when a loud series of knocks banged against the throne room door.

"Enter!" Jareth ordered, wondering who it could be at this time of night. The door opened as an anxious and sweaty Palace messenger causing Jareth to rise from his throne. "Yes? What is it?" he tersely asked.

"Her Majesty," the messenger huffed out. "You're needed at the Palace immediately. The Queen is in labor."

* * *

As soon as Jareth received the message from the servant, he disappeared from his throne room and appeared in the chambers he shared with Sarah. However, there was no one present- contrary to the information he was told. He was about to disappeared again when he heard a swift knock on the door. Lydia opened the door without being told to enter.

"I thought I sensed magic shift in here," she breathed out, her nerves on edge.

"Where's Sarah?" he asked as he joined her in the sitting room. "That elf told me she was here."

"She was," Lydia answered. "But now, she's in the infirmary."

Jareth nearly vanished in front of her, but she grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving.

"Don't do that," she quick said. Jareth nearly had the presence of mind to throw her off him and leave. And Lydia could tell that he was about to do such a thing. "Rowena wanted me to meet you here after they went down to the infirmary. It's important for me to bring you up to speed before you just rush into there, causing unnecessary disruption."

"Fine, tell me as we walk," he said, going against his nature. Jareth snatched his arm away from her as he marched out of the sitting room as Lydia struggled to follow closely behind him.

* * *

" _What the hell happened?" Rowena yelled as she ran to Sarah's side with Lydia following closely behind._

" _I'm fine," Sarah hissed as she grabbed her stomach. She let out a groan as she dropped to her side onto her bed. "Okay, I might not be fine."_

" _She just got back from the bathroom," Cormac said as he stood back, ensuring he didn't get in the healer's way. "Before she was able to go back to her bed, she collapsed."_

"Nearly _collapsed," Sarah pointed out. "You caught me, remember?"_

" _You do realize that is the least important fact of that story," Rowena said as she pressed her hand to Sarah's head. "You're very warm and starting to perspire. Cormac, please, stand on the other side of the room, please."_

_The advisor did as he was told, worrying his hands by rubbing them together. Rowena pulled Sarah's dressing gown up, allowing her to have access to the Queen's pregnant abdomen. Lydia grabbed a small, wet towel from the bathroom, bringing it over to Sarah and placing it on her forehead_

" _Are you in any pain?" Rowena asked as her hand hovered over Sarah's body._

" _Yep," Sarah answered through clenched teeth. "All the pain. I feel it."_

" _The babes, I think they're ready to leave," Rowena said._

" _Oh, thank god," Sarah said, finding her breathing labored. "They're so heavy and getting in the way."_

" _Cormac. Make yourself useful," Rowena said, looking over her shoulder. "Send a messenger to the Goblin King. Have him come here immediately. Tell him Sarah's going into labor."_

" _Yes! Finally!" Sarah said, throwing up a feeble arm of triumph into the air._

* * *

"That doesn't explain why she's in the infirmary," Jareth snapped as he continued his determined stride through the corridors.

"It's really hard to talk when you are moving so fast," Lydia said. She found it too difficult to keep up with him while talking at the same time that she simple stopped following him. "Just. Stop. Please!"

Surprisingly, Jareth did as she asked. He didn't turn to face her, only giving her a hardened glare over his shoulder. But Lydia didn't worry about that; she was simply relieved that he gave her a chance to get out all the information.

"Rowena took her down there for several reasons," Lydia said. "Sarah was having trouble controlling her magic so that it won't lash out at her or the children. You know, Sarah's magic isn't too friendly when it feels she's threatened. And…"

"And?!" Jareth asked, turning to fully face her.

"Yes, so, Rowena wanted to emphasize that this is something she's seen many time before, and that this news shouldn't make you barge into the infirmary or cause you any distress," Lydia prefaced, praying that Jareth would act in his normal fashion. Lydia inhaled deeply, steading herself for the outburst. "Sarah began bleeding- a lot- but-"

Lydia never got to finish her sentence. Jareth vanished from view immediately.

"Shit. Sorry, Rowena," Lydia muttered to herself.

* * *

"I'm tired," Sarah mumbled as she noticed Rowena and one other healer gathering various supplies and setting them on a table near her bed. "Rowena, I'm tired."

"Working on it, dear," Rowena announced. "Didn't I tell you to continue to focus your magic? The last thing I need is to be struck down as soon as I take a scalpel to you."

"I'm trying," Sarah barked. "I thought the infirmary blocks magic."

"These rooms suppress most magic," Rowena clarified. "But I'm still going to need you to focus it away from me- especially considering how powerful yours is."

A loud banging on the door startled the trio.

"Is that Jareth?" Sarah asked, trying to sit up straight.

"Don't move," Rowena ordered. "Oriana, get the door. Be careful that he doesn't mow you over."

The young healer apprentice hurried over to the door. Preparing for the worst, Oriana hugged the wall as soon as she unlocked the door. Jareth slammed the door open before noticing Sarah reclining in the bed at a high position as Rowena continued to run around the room, grabbing her various potions.

"Sarah!" he called out before rushing to her. He forged the chair next to the bed she was laying in, deciding to stand instead.

"Jareth," she responded in a calm manner. "I'm so glad you are here. It feels like a sumo wrestler is repeatedly punching down on my pelvis with brass knuckles."

"Before you yell at me," Rowena said, stopping Jareth before he could begin his tirade. "I was going to wait two more minutes before operating so you could get here in time. I wasn't going to let here be in pain for long."

"You're going to be okay, Sarah," he said, pushing her hair from her face. "You'll be fine."

"I know," she said, giving him a wryly smile. "I just need to focus my magic so it doesn't attack Rowena and possibly injure my children. No big deal, ya know. However, the process is a bit problematic. I don't know why."

Jareth took off his gloves and clasped her hand in his. "You haven't fully mastered focusing you magic within your body, especially if it's under stress. Therefore, what you are going to do is channel it through me. You've done it before; you can do it again."

"Look at you, doing the bare minimum," Sarah teased as her head lolled back onto the pile of pillows as she focused on her breathing and channeling of her magic.

"All right," Rowena said, approaching the duo with Oriana next to her. "This Court can only take one of you being caustic and rude. Can't have Her Majesty acting this way for too long." Oriana pushed up the blankets that were covering Sarah's lower body. "Don't look down here, either of you. Just talk to each other and continue to focus the magic away from us, all right?"

"You will get through this," Jareth reassured her as his grip tightened on her hand.

"Sounds more like you're trying to talk yourself into not freaking out," she said as she flicked her hand through his wild tresses. "You're not doing well with that. I think you are sweating more than me."

* * *

Lydia ran down the Palace hallways, cursing the location of Sarah's office. When she arrived at the study, she noticed the door was wide open with Cormac sitting in a chair, having fallen asleep.

"Cormac! Wake up!" she yelled.

The elf jumped out of his chair in shock and then stumbled to the ground. He shook his head to wake himself up as he climbed back into the chair.

"Did you have to be so raucous?" Cormac yelled. "A gentle shoulder tap would suffice."

"This is important," she told him. "You need to release a letter to the entire Court. Sarah gave birth to the twins."

"What? Already?" he asked as he grabbed some paper and his pen. "Have they been given names?"

* * *

"I stopped the bleeding," Oriana said as her hands continued to hover over the incision that she was working to close.

"Can I stop this magic focus b.s.?" Sarah asked, still holding onto Jareth's hand. He was dutifully wiping her brow with his free hand. Her fever had gone down a little but was still high. The new parents frequently looked over to Rowena who was checking over the crying twins. "I want to see my babies."

"Not until Oriana is finished," Rowena said.

"Are you finished yet?" Jareth asked, barely holding back his impatience.

"Almost," she answered. The blue magic around her hands intensified as she swept her hands across Sarah's incision. "Done," Oriana announced as her hands left Sarah's abdomen. "But don't move, Your Majesty." When Sarah shook Jareth's hand from hers, she nearly fainted due to the rushing of her magic throughout her body.

"Oh, that feels better," Sarah huffed out. Jareth grabbed her hand again, lifted it up to his lips, and placed a tender kiss on her palm. She looked over at him and saw that he appeared to be near tears. Although exhausted, Sarah managed to give him a questioning look.

"Thank you, Precious," he whispered. Sarah opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by the healer.

"You delivered two healthy babes," Rowena said as she and Oriana brought over the wailing newborns. "One of each: a boy and a girl. The little girl was more eager to come out first. I'm sure that will be a bone of contention for the two of them in the future." Rowena carried the boy while her apprentice held the girl.

"They're so loud," Sarah remarked, trying to distract herself from the overwhelming feeling of her raw emotions. Oriana walked to the other side of the bed where Jareth was sitting by Sarah to place the baby girl in Sarah's arms while Rowena did the same with the girl, allowing both to rest against Sarah's chest. Once they were place in their mother's arm, the newborn's cries began to subside. "They're so little."

Jareth brought an unsteady hand up to cradle the head of the twin closest to him. He gently rubbed the deep brown hair of his daughter, feeling his heart melt at the sight of his child who shared his wife tresses.

"He has your hair," he heard Sarah say. "But yours is much more unruly." He looked up from his daughter's sleeping face to look over to see a shock of bright blonde hair peeking out from Sarah's arm. Jareth was shocked at the sight of his son's hair. It was so blonde that it was nearly white- just like his father's.

"My son," he sighed. This time, he cared not about the tears running down his face.

"Here, I shouldn't have both of them," Sarah said as she gestured for Jareth to hold their daughter. "You should hold her. She's going to be a daddy's girl anyway. I know it."

Although he has handled many children in the past, he cautiously cradled his daughter in his arms as he sat next to Sarah in bed. Her eyes, which were previously tightly closed, opened as her bright blue eyes staring up at Jareth before looking to the side and then closing again. He looked over to Sarah who was carefully shifting their son in her arms so he could get a better look. The little boy kept his eyes shut as he seemed to relish being his mother's arm.

"What do they call it Aboveground?" Jareth asked. "A mother's boy?"

Sarah snorted. "Yeah, he's going to be a momma's boy," she said placing a kiss on the newborn's forehead.

"Hope you thought of names for both," Rowena said with a large smile on her face.

"Don't worry," Sarah stated. "They both have names."

Jareth raised a questioning brow at Sarah. "We do? Would you care to share them with me?"

Sarah and Jareth attempted to come up with a list of names months ago but the pair quickly found the process to overwhelming and gave up on deciding in advance.

"Troublemaker number one is Nigella," she revealed, looking over at the sleeping girl in her father's arms. "I saw it once a few months ago, and the name has been stuck in my head since. I was told the name means champion."

Jareth's lips turned upwards into a large smile. His attention turned to the boy in his arms.

"And for Troublemaker number two?" he asked.

"Faolan," Sarah replied. "I hope you'd think that's a good idea."

"I never thought to give my child my father's name," Jareth said. "Are you naming him that because of his shock of white hair?"

"No," Sarah chuckled as she turned her attention to her son. "No. I've been thinking… your father was a good fae who didn't have a long time in this world. I just thought he should have someone carry his name on a little longer." She looked up at Jareth and gave him a smile. Bringing her hand up to his face, she carefully wiped the water from his eyes.

"You're becoming very emotional," Sarah teased. "Don't worry. Rowena won't tattle on you."

"It is second nature for those closest to the crown to keep their secrets," Rowena reassured. "Right, Oriana?"

"I didn't see anything," the apprentice said as she put the various potions away.

"Nigella and Faolan," Jareth said as though he was testing out the way the names sounded to his ear. "Those are names befitting the children of the terrifying Goblin King."

"We all saw you cry," Sarah pointed out. "Don't try to mask what's happening."

"I have no idea what you are implying," he said.

"Welcome to the world, Nigella and Faolan," Sarah whispered to them.


	28. Chapter 28

_Soon you'll grow so take a chance_  
_With a couple of Kooks_  
_Hung up on romancing_

* * *

 "Ow," Maia muttered to herself as she failed to round the corner properly, her shoulder bumping into the wall. Five days since the twins have been born, and Maia hasn't quite accustomed herself to the early wake up times or the many hallways of the Palace. From the looks of Sarah and Jareth appearance, they haven't gotten used to the twins either.

When she arrived at the nursery, Maia carefully held the door knob, ensuring she didn't make too much noise when she entered. She quickly entered and shut the door behind her. When she turned around, she nearly let out a startled yelp.

"Oh, sorry, Your Majesty," she whispered. Maia was taken aback by the presence of the Goblin King, shirtless, walking in the dark with one of his children held against his chest. "I didn't expect you to be in here so early."

"Faolan and Nigella thought it be best that their parents receive as little sleep as possible. Faolan was kind enough to fall back to sleep," Jareth said as he paced back and forth. He looked down in his arms at his daughter whose eyes were wide and bright, staring at her father. "She, however, cries the moment I put her down. I can only wait for her to go back to sleep. We've been at this for nearly two hours; haven't we, Nigella?"

"I can hold her if you wish to go back to sleep," Maia offered.

"I'm capable of taking care of child," he quickly snipped.

"Of course, Your Majesty, I just wanted to provide you some help," she clarified. Maia had definitely taken to heart those words Tali told her over and over again: don't take it personally.

"Now, that I think about it, I don't believe Sarah or I filled out the logs," Jareth said.

Maia marched over to the log book that was placed on a side table against the wall that separated the nursery from Jareth's bedchambers. She looked at the book, noticing that she was on the right date.

"I don't see anything written for today, Your Majesty," Maia said, trying to keep her voice down.

"Damn," Jareth sighed as he looked up at the ceiling.

"When did they wake you two up?" Maia asked as she brought the book and pen over to him so they wouldn't wake up Faolan. "You said you've been in here by yourself with them for two hours?"

"Sarah and I were woken up by these ruffians nearly three hours ago," he stated. "I changed them and then Sarah fed them shortly after." He looked over to see Maia furiously writing the times and notes into the book.

"And you said Her Majesty had Faolan until he fell asleep?" she asked.

"Yes, nearly two hours ago," he groused as finally succumbed to one of the rocking chairs. Maia finished recording the data before returning the book to the table.

"If you wish to stay in here, is there anything you want me to do to help?" Maia asked.

"I realize this isn't part of job, but do you know how to cook?" Jareth asked. Even with only moonlight shining in, Maia could tell that his eyes told tales of exhaustion.

"Yes? Just the basics," she said.

"Then please bring me a basic breakfast," he said, slowly rocking back and forth. "The sun will be rising soon; I'll doubt I'll be able to go back to sleep."

* * *

"Lochlan, why are you walking so slowly?" Tali said as the pair walked through the Palace hallways.

"Why are you walking so fast?" he countered. "Their babies, they can't run away from you." Tali stopped in her track and spun around to face him.

"You are going to meet his children for the first time," she said. "Your brother is now a father; you at least need to congratulate his wife for going through such an ordeal. Now is not the time for your cavalier mannerisms."

Lochlan rubbed his brows before leveling a stare at his beloved. "This entire process is foreign. I'm not my brother; I'm not familiar with children."

"Don't flatter yourself," she smirked as she turned around to walk again. "I doubt either one of them will just thrust their children at you."

"What are you saying?" he said as he continued to follow behind her. "I can become good with children. It can't be that difficult."

Tali spun around. "What?! You just said-"

"If you bloody fools continue to yell, I'll be forced to kill the both of you myself," a highly annoyed voice said. Tali turned around to see an irritated Jareth standing inside an opened door.

"Oh sorry," Tali whispered. "I didn't realize how close we were."

"You look like shit, brother," Lochlan chuckled, causing Tali to slap his side.

"We're sorry," she said, apologizing for the both of them. "Did we wake them?"

"No," Jareth quipped. "But I have no interest in listening to anyone else scream for no reason." He moved to the side to allow them to enter the nursery. "Take your shoes off and place them to the side."

"You're more surly than usual," Lochlan said as he walked past his brother.

"Don't make me stab you," Jareth grumbled as he shut the door.

"Sounds like old times," Sarah said as she stood up from the floor to greet Tali.

"Oh, I didn't mean to make you get up," Tali said, giving Sarah a hug.

"It's been ten days," she said. "I'm fine with general motion." Tali looked down to see the twins next to each other on their backs, their eyes wandering from Sarah, Tali, and the ceiling.

"Oh, my goodness," Tali squealed as she slowly dropped to the floor. She looked to the dark haired baby who gave her a smile. "Hi, how are you, Nigella?"

"I'm pretty certain they can't talk," Lochlan said as he knelt down next to Tali.

"Why do you always have to be like this?" Tali hissed, carefully picking up baby Nigella, before cooing at the little girl in her arms. Sarah padded across the blanket and dropped to her knees to pick up her son.

"It's just an obnoxious mask he wears. Isn't it, Lochlan?" Sarah asked as she handed the baby over to his uncle. With much reservation and trepidation, Lochlan held out his arms, cradling the child. Sarah repositioned the child in his arms, ensuring that Lochlan held the baby correctly. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, unsure of anything that was happening to him. "You are not a natural at this."

"It's not as though he's accustomed to such things," Jareth said as he lounged back in the rocking chair, inwardly nervous about the two holding his children.

"Is this your first time holding a baby?" Sarah asked, trying not to laugh at the situation.

"Is it that obvious?" Lochlan asked as he winced when the blond baby squirmed in his arms.

"Yes," Tali, Jareth, and Sarah answered all at once. Lochlan gave the three of them an annoyed glare before returning is attention to the child. The baby boy quelled his movements as he settled against his uncle's chest.

"Faolan, hm?" he said quietly as he turned his attention to the subdued baby in his arms. "A strong, handsome name. Such a shame you couldn't take more after your mother appearance wise." Lochlan looked up to give his brother a cheeky smile.

"Bug off," Jareth snapped.

Sarah turned her head to her husband, shaking her head before turning back to Tali and Lochlan.

"He hasn't slept in the past twenty four hours," Sarah informed them.

"They're both stunning in their own way," Tali said as she looked over to see Faolan. Something about the boy caught her attention. "His eyes are black, like Loclan's, but not quite."

Lochlan hadn't noticed, but when he took a closer look, it appeared that Tali was correct: Faolan's irises and pupils were completely black while the rest of his eye was white.

"Aren't you full of surprises?" Lochlan told the docile boy.

Jareth tilted his head as he observed his brother humor his son, tickling his belly and allowing his son to hold his brother's pinky finger.

"Is that a smile on your face?" Jareth asked Lochlan.

"I'm not heartless," he said as he looked over to Nigella and then back at Faolan. "Besides, I have the serious role of uncle to fulfill. I will take that responsibility seriously."

* * *

Sarah straightened her back, allowing the pops and creaks to be released from her body. In her Palace bedchambers, she sat at her vanity allowing the day's stress to fall off of her.

A moment ago, Sarah put the children down for their afternoon naps. However, she couldn't decide if she should take one herself or just take a walk, find something to do without them nearby. Of course, things haven't been easy since the twins were born, but the past day and a half has been especially difficult. Sarah held court the previous day while Jareth tended to issues in his kingdom which included a wished away child. While today, when most of her work and duties was taken care of, Jareth held court at the Goblin Kingdom which last most of the morning. All this meant was that she was without Jareth for the longest amount of time since the twins were born. Although Maia helped out tremendously, her help only went so far when the children wanted their parent instead of the nanny.

Without warning, she felt something over her eyes as her vision went black. Sarah groaned. She was so drained that she didn't even sense Jareth's magical presence when he arrived in the room.

"Good afternoon, Precious," he whispered before nipping her ear lobe.

"Who are you again?" she questioned, pretending to be confused. "Are you my husband? I forgot what he looked like?"

Jareth removed his hands and then moved to stand to her side, sitting on the edge of her vanity.

"I've heard your husband is a remarkably striking fae who has the ability to command a fleet of goblins with a single gaze," he boasted. Jareth grabbed her hand to lift it up to his lips, but Sarah swatted him away.

"You're so ridiculous," she said. Jareth let out a loud laugh, causing Sarah to leap from her chair and clasping her hand over his mouth. "They just went to sleep. You'll wake them up."

Sarah saw his eyes fill with amusement. She was about to ask what was so funny when she felt a wet sensation on her palm.

"Did you lick me?" she sneered as she pulled her hand from his mouth. "Why do you always do that?" Sarah turned to walk away, but he grabbed her arm, pulling her against him.

"My children are asleep, hmm? Is their mother free?" he asked as his hands slowly moved up her torso before giving her breast a gentle squeeze.

"You've been gone for over a day and this is the first thing you think of when you return?" Sarah asked, smirking at his lecherous motives. "You're incorrigible."

"You didn't answer my question," he muttered as his hands came to rest on her hips.

She turned around to face him, giving him a slight frown. "I'm tired and sore, Jareth. I was planning on relaxing for as long as the twins allow it."

"Take off your dress and get on the bed," he ordered as he took off his gloves.

"Am I getting a massage?" she inquired hopefully.

"Not if you continue to stand there, fully covered," Jareth smirked as he placed his gloves on the vanity. Sarah gave him a smile before waving her hand over her body causing the dress to pool at her feet. She wrapped her arms across her chest before scurrying to the bed, lying face down on the mattress.

"What hurts the most?" he asked, grabbing a small jar of massage oil off the vanity before approaching her. Sarah turned her face to the side to see him walking toward her.

"Back and neck, mostly," she answered. "And, I guess my upper arms also."

Jareth removed his shirt, tossing it on the floor, before he joined Sarah in bed, sitting back on his heels. He kissed the small of her back which caused Sarah to shiver.

"I apologize for my absence," he muttered. "I didn't appreciate being away either."

"These past few days definitely weren't ideal. Ah!" she hissed as Jareth began working on a particular muscle knot in her shoulder.

"Breathe," he warned her. "You'll make this more difficult if you jump every time I run across one of those."

"But it always hurts," Sarah groaned into the duvet.

"And you always feel better later," Jareth countered. Nearly an hour passed as Jareth massaged Sarah's aches away as she told him how the twins were doing.

"Is there a reason why you never deal with Nigella crying like I do?" Jareth complained as he made circles in her lower back with his thumbs.

"I told you that she's a daddy's girl," Sarah chuckled.

"Wasn't that supposed to mean that she'd be nice to me?" Jareth asked.

"No," she snorted. Suddenly, she felt Jareth knead her skin a bit too hard. "Ow! I'm joking. She wants your attention, and she gets it with crying. Amazing what she's already learned in two months." Jareth's hands moved down her body as his caresses focused on her ample bum. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to gather your attention," he hummed as he continued to massage her flesh.

"Oh, really?" Sarah asked as she did her best to turn her head to the side to look at him. "I thought you would be tired after the couple of days you had."

"Never doubt my endurance," Jareth said. "Especially when it comes to activities such as this."

"Giving massages?" she asked.

Now, it was Jareth's turn to let out a derisive snort as he stood from the bed, removing his boots. "Turn over, Sarah," he ordered.

"But, you didn't do my little piggies," Sarah pouted as she wiggled her toes. Jareth reached over and flipped his wife over so that she was on her back, causing her to release a squeal. Sarah quickly covered her mouth with her hands as Jareth stood perfectly still, both afraid that they made too much noise. After a hesitant minute, they heard no sound coming from the nursery.

"You'll have to be quieter, Precious," he chastised as he approached her. Jareth picked up the small bottle of oil and pour some into his hand. Rubbing the oil into his hands, he sat next to her naked body. Deciding that his position was much too boring, Jareth moved to straddle her torso. Starting with her hands, he gently rubbed the oil up to her arms, smiling at her vulnerable state and how she closed her eyes in response to the little pleasure he gave her. She moaned when his hands found her shoulders.

"Aren't you… excited?" she teased as she felt his arousal continuing to press against her stomach. Her eyes opened when she felt his smooth hands leisurely moving up her neck.

Jareth said nothing before his lips met hers, a fervent kiss that held promise of things to come. He repositioned his body so that he hovered over her, forearms placed on either side of her head. As he continued his sensuous assault on her mouth, one of his hands reached down to her opening, allowing his finger a swift feel, gauging her wetness.

"Aren't you excited?" he parroted back to her before licking the side of her jaw. The wayward hand returned up her torso, finding one of her breasts.

"Don't be obnoxious," she moaned as arched her back in response to him rubbing his thumb over her nipple.

"Oh, Precious," he said. "You know I can be much more obnoxious than that." Then, Jareth sharply twisted her nipple. Sarah opened her mouth to cry out, but Jareth's hand was faster. "Now, now, Sarah. No screaming." Her brows furrowed in annoyance that his hand was covering her mouth. Jareth only chuckled. "You're beautiful when you're angry."

He reached over to massage her other neglected breast before giving that nipple a quick twist. Sarah release a low grumble- still aggravated with her husband as his hand stayed over her mouth. However, she couldn't help but be turned on by his actions. Giving her breasts a final squeeze, Jareth removed his hand from her mouth.

"Jerk," she hissed. Her animus toward his previous actions didn't stop her from wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Ensure you take that anger out on me," he groaned as he ground his hips into her.

To her credit, Sarah was able to stop herself from laughing. She licked the outer shell of his ear. Jareth instantly removed his trousers with magic, no longer willing to play games. Sarah's arms dropped to the bed as Jareth used his arms to push himself up to gaze down at Sarah's nude form. He dipped down to kiss her softly as he slowly penetrated her. Grabbing his taut arms as he entered her, she groaned as she felt every inch of him enter her. She reached for his sides as he lowered himself on top of her, holding him close. Sarah turned her head so that they were looking into each other eyes.

"I missed you," she whispered. Jareth pulled out to the tip then slowly reentered her, staring into her eyes the entire time.

"I missed you too," he struggled to say as he continued to leisurely move inside her. Jareth grabbed one of her ankles to wrap her leg around his torso, and she quickly followed suit with the other one. His mouth found her neck as he continued to pump into her, eliciting small, heady gasps from her.

Unexpectedly, a loud sound of a baby's cry caused them both to still their actions; both hoping that what they heard was a mistake. Jareth's hard stare focused on Sarah's face as he quietly hoped that whoever just woke up would go back to sleep. However, that crying woke up the other child. Now, both were crying.

"Where's Maia?" he grounded out.

"Um," she muttered, knowing he wouldn't be happy with her answer. "Uh…I might have given her the afternoon off. So, I don't know."

"Shit," Jareth spat as he reluctantly pulled out of her. With a wave of his hand, he was fully clothed in his characteristic boots, trousers, necklace, and billowy shirt.

"But she's coming back in the early morning hours," Sarah said, trying to offer some sort of commiseration as she scooted off the bed. She walked up behind Jareth, wrapping her arms around him as she pressed her naked body into his back.

"Stay away from me, wench," Jareth proclaimed as he dramatically removed her arms from his body. He turned to face her as he brought his hand to back of her neck, delving his fingers into her tresses. "I have no use for you temptation at a time like this," he said before kissing her forehead.

"You say that now," she said as she back away from him, bending down to pick up her dress. Jareth's eyes narrow as he keenly watched his wife's movements as she slowly rose to her feet. With a flick of her wrist, the dress was back on her body. "I doubt you'll be saying that later." Sarah walked to the door to the nursery room. "Come on, we have to rescue our hellions from themselves."

* * *

 "Sarah!" Tali yelled as she rushed to her friend's side. "I mean, Your Majesty."

"Oh please, all these people know you," Sarah stated. "There's no reason to do that. Plus, it's not necessary."

"This is still a royal wedding," she pointed out. "I should call you by your proper title at these functions." Sarah looked around at all the guest at the reception.

"I assume that you could not drag Lochlan out for this," Sarah surmised.

"He sent a gift with a note," Tali said as she rolled her eyes. "I don't think he could deal with being around the same type of people within a short period of time. Your wedding was enough."

"Did you tell him it was not as large as ours?" Sarah asked.

Tali gave a quick nod. "No good," she said, shaking her head. "I think he would rather be sleeping or eating. Actually, anything else than be here. Where's Jareth?"

"I'm not quite sure," Sarah shrugged. "Probably trying to wager Taggert in a drinking game… or vice versa."

Silence stretched between the two as they watch Kalin in her wedding dress speaking to various nobles of the Court as they fawned over her attire.

"Who would have thought that she would cry," Tali wondered aloud.

"Her brashness fools people," Sarah said as she watched Kalin twirled one more time. "She's really a softy. And besides, she'll just say she had something in her eyes."

"Also, might be the hormones," Tali shrugged.

"She is massively pregnant, isn't she?" Jareth mused as he stood behind Sarah and Tali.

"Do you humor yourself with your random bouts of rudeness?" Tali asked as she turned to face him as he took a large gulp of his pint of ale.

"Jareth's uncomfortable with displays of other people's happiness," Sarah teased.

"Oi!" Taggert yelled as he aggressively slapped Jareth on the back, causing Jareth to spill his ale on the stone ground. "You challenged me to a game of chess, yet you're out here chatting up your lovely wife."

"Even idiotically drunk, you are still so polite, Taggert," Tali said.

"Taggert!" yelled Kalin as she marched toward the group. "When you said you were going to drink for the both of us, I didn't expect you to do it all at once."

Taggert pushed past their friends to stand in front of his bride. He brought his hand up to caress Kalin's cheek before his lips crashed into hers. His other hand held the other side of her face to ensure she wouldn't go anywhere as he pushed his tongue into her mouth. However, Kalin quickly gave him a shove away from her.

"Shit," she hissed at him as her cheeks blushed deeply. "Not in public. We may be in your kingdom, but there are non-centaurs here also."

"Always with the delayed satisfaction,  _a_ _mhuirnín_ ," he whispered in her ear.

A loud clearing of the throat caught both of their attentions.

"No need to be so grotesque in public," Jareth teased.

"How dare you act all pompous?" Kalin yelled as she marched to the Goblin King. "You have a lot of nerve saying that after the stunt you pulled at your reception."

Jareth said nothing as he gave the Pixie Queen a smirk as he sipped his pint.

"Let's go," Taggert said as he grabbed Jareth's arm, dragging him away from his wife. "Best three out of five."

"How tragic," Jareth said as he followed close behind. "You wish to lose three times instead of once."

Kalin watched her new husband march off with a few of his generals and some nosy faes with the will to win against his perennial arch-nemesis, the Goblin King.

"Are they ever going to stop challenging each other to stupid contests?" Kalin sighed.

"Nope," Sarah remarked as she stood by her friend. "I can tell that he is beyond thrilled that you decided to have the wedding in his kingdom."

"And outdoors," Tali said as she reached down to pick a small wildflower. "Are you lucky we had an early spring?"

"I know," Kalin groaned. "For a while, I wished that it was still snowing so we would have to be out with all this wildlife."

"You mean, the occasionally bug that flies by?" Sarah deadpanned.

"Yes," Kalin answered in a serious tone. "But I must admit, the tree canopy is a beautiful feature. This is a lovely wedding."

"And you didn't go crazy planning it," Tali said.

"How could I?" Kalin countered. "Anytime I would stress out, I would get these false labor pains."

"How much time is left? Sorry, I keep forgetting," Sarah said.

"Four months, maybe five," Kalin replied as her hand reached down to hold her large belly. "Bloody time frame keeps changing. I was just told a week ago that the child is developing as faes do- not centaurs. So, that's good news. I'm still being evaluated every other day by at least three healers. Everyone is just fascinated in the fact that his magic appeared to be both fae and centaur. Which is amazing for me- to be poked and prodded. I have nothing better to do with my days."

"Still believe like it's a boy?" Sarah said with smirk.

"I know you don't believe me, but I swear, this child is a boy," Kalin insisted. "But I haven't told Taggert. So don't tell him, okay?"

"Fae, huh?" Tali wondered aloud as she stared at Kalin's abdomen. "He's big for a fae."

"He's big because he likes to eat because he's his father's child," Kalin snapped.

"Hey," Sarah hissed into Tali's ear. "Come visit the Palace more ; your spending too much time around Lochlan. Don't tell a pregnant fae any part of her is big."

"But not her," Tali defended. "The baby. The baby is big."

"I can hear you," Kalin grumbled as she held two glasses of wine, extending them to her friends. "Here, the theme of today is to drink all of the wine, because this pregnancy has destroyed my ability to enjoy it."

"That's a damn shame," Tali muttered as she took the offered glass.

"There you are!" cried a voice from behind Kalin. When the fae approached she gave the Pixie Queen an enormous shoulder hug. "It's hard to find you. However, I guess that's to be expected when you're searching for the bride. Lady Gitta sent me to search for you."

Kalin appeared noticeably exasperated at those words. "Sarah, Tali, this is Fianna, personal servant to Lady Gitta, an extremely close friend of my mother's, and someone who had to send her assistant to fetch me."

"What was that last part?" Fianna asked, genuinely confused.

"Nothing," Kalin said with false cheerfulness. She then gave Tali and Sarah a pointed stare. "Don't leave without saying goodbye, then she turned to Fianna. "Escort me to that portentous fae. I haven't seen her in years."

* * *

 "Taggert quite your fretting," Jareth said.

"You should not be telling him anything," Sarah chastised. "You nearly lost your mind when I gave birth."

"You are being dramatic," Jareth scoffed.

"Seven months and you are already rewriting history in your head," Sarah said.

"No disrespect," Taggert bit out. "But could you two please quiet your voices."

The two royals quickly shut their mouths as they watched their friend pace back and forth outside the Pixie Castle's infirmary.

"Why wouldn't she allow me in there?" he grumbled as he stopped his walking to stare at the door.

"Are we allowed to speak now?" Jareth asked. Sarah walked over to Taggert and firmly grabbed his shoulders.

"Breathe, all right," Sarah said, looking him squarely in the eyes. "You are out here because your wife is giving birth and a fae has never given birth to half-centaur before. Okay? No one knows what to expect."

"Also, your wife is incredibly vain," Jareth pointed out.

"You're not helping," Sarah bit out. Suddenly, the door slammed open as Quill, the lead healer from the Centaur Kingdom, rushed out to Taggert.

"You're needed immediately," he said before turning around to walk into the infirmary.

Taggert looked to Sarah and Jareth as he apprehensively followed the healer's instructions.

"Nothing terrifying about that," Jareth said as he leaned against the wall.

"Kalin, what's wrong?" Taggert said as she rushed to her side.

"I decided that you should be here," she explained. Her face was ruddy as beads of sweat dotted her brow, occasionally some ran down her face. Taggert held his wife's face before kissing her cheek.

"Thank you,  _a_ _stór_ _," he said._

"Nothing like taking a pause from pushing your baby out to change your mind on whether your husband should be here," Lily, the Pixie Queendom's head healer, muttered as she stood ready to deliver the child. "Always capricious."

"Well, I'm ready now!" Kalin barked out.

* * *

 "This is a foolish game," Jareth muttered as he threw his cards on the sofa before vigorously rubbing his temples. Nearly half an hour passed since Taggert left the pair. Since Sarah knew they might participate in some sort of prolonged waiting game, she brought a deck of Aboveground cards and decided to teach Jareth three card poker.

"You're just upset because you losing," she said. "I swear you didn't listen to my instructions."

"Why the fuck does a pair out rank straight?" he yelled in heightened agitation.

"Shh!" Sarah hissed while trying not to laugh at his righteous anger.

"I'd rather be dealing with Nigella's screaming than this farce of a game," he said as he stood from the couch to start pacing.

"Liar," Sarah said with a smile. "You know the only reason why you are here waiting for someone else's child to be born is because you wished for a reprieve."

Jareth released a sigh as his shoulder slumped as he stared up at the ceiling. "Why does she cry all the time?"

"I remember hearing Aboveground that babies who cry a lot were going to grow to be extremely intelligent," she said. "But then again, that could just be what exhausted parents tell themselves so they don't go mad."

"Nigella had better be the most brilliant fae the Underground has ever known," he muttered into his hand.

The door opened again, but this time Lily came out, slowly and methodically.

"Kalin and Taggert wish to see you now," she said before moving to the side. Jareth raised an eyebrow at Sarah before helping her to her feet.

They walked into the room to see Taggert holding a baby as Quill attended to Kalin. When Lily walked back into the room, she rushed over the Pixie Queen.

"Before you ask, I'm fine," Kalin huffed out. "Just a lot of pushing. I was not prepared for all of that. Someone should have warned me."

"We did," Lily muttered under her breath.

"Are you okay?" Sarah asked as she walked over to her friend.

"I said I'm fine," she said, shooing her away. "Look at my baby; he's beautiful."

Sarah turned to see Jareth smiling at the little bundle in the Centaur King's arms. Taggert pivoted toward Sarah and carefully handed the child to her.

"Oh my goodness," Sarah proclaimed. "This wild bush of wavy hair."

"So, Sarah, I read a lot of books from Above after the war," Kalin started. Sarah turned around to gaze down at Kalin who still had two healers tending to her. "A few of these fiction books mentioned some peculiar thing called godparents. I know we don't do such things here, but-"

"You want us… to be his godparents?" Sarah asked, surprised by her offer.

"We don't expect you to take care of them," Taggert added. "We simply want to ensure that the bond we share with you doesn't disappear after a generation."

" _Them_?" Jareth wondered aloud. "Is there another babe in there?"

"Jareth!"

"We're planning for more, of course," Taggert said with a chuckle.

"Yet, not now," Kalin stated. "I miss my food and drink tasting normal."

"We'd love to be his godparents," Sarah cooed as she gently cradled the little boy. "But only on one condition."

"And what is that?" Kalin asked.

"You have to tell me his name," she said as she gazed down at the boy in her arms.

"Kendrick," Kalin answered. "His name is Kendrick."

* * *

 "I'm going to be in so much trouble," Toby said to himself as he walked behind Jareth through the halls of the Goblin Castle.

"You've served your penance, Tobias," Jareth said. "Besides, I'll send you back to your room in less than an hour."

"I know, but I just have to remind myself of what could happen if things go wrong," he said.

"Toby!" Sarah yelled as the duo round the corner. She was standing outside the nursery, holding a baby while standing next to Avitus.

"Sarah!" he whispered loudly as he ran to her to give her a side hug.

"No need to speak in hush tones," she laughed. "They're not asleep." Sarah took a step back from him to gauge his appearance. "You're tall," she said as she tilted her head up, giving him a pout. "You're very tall."

"I told you to warn her," Jareth said to Toby as he slipped into the nursery.

"Sorry about that," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Who's this?"

"This is Nigella," Sarah replied as she turned her back so Toby could see the baby's face. "She's in the middle of burping."

"Gross," Toby chuckled.

"Yes, it is," Sarah concurred. She then turned to Avitus who was standing quietly by. "Give word to Cormac that we'll be staying here for a few days."

Avitus gave a quick bow. "Will do," he said. "Good to see you again, Mr. Tobias."

"Gah!" Toby cried out. "Did Jareth put you up to calling me that?"

"Have a good evening," Avitus responded with a smile before leaving.

Toby released a groan as Sarah tried to hold back her laughter.

"Jareth simply likes to make you uncomfortable," Sarah said as she continued to gently pat Nigella's back.

"Dammit!" Jareth's voice rang out so loud that, even with the door shut, it caught Toby and Sarah by surprise.

Toby looked over to Sarah who simply shrugged. "What the-"

"Just go inside," Sarah interrupted, rolling her eyes. He opened the door to the nursery to see Jareth, removing his shirt, standing in the middle of the room.

"Umm," Toby muttered.

"Someone threw up on me," Jareth grumbled as he conjured another shirt.

"You might as well not button that up," Sarah said as she entered the room. "That's the third time this week you've been vomited on." Jareth said nothing but did give Sarah an annoyed glare.

Movement off to the side caught Toby's attention. Immediately, he recognized the young human holding carrying the baby, wiping his mouth.

"Maia?" Toby asked.

"Hey, Toby! You remembered my name," she cried out. Jareth walked to her, asking for his son back. Faolan squirmed a little during the transfer settled down once he was in his father's arms.

"I didn't meet that many people down here," he said, approaching Jareth. "I should remember names."

"Do you wish to hold him?" Jareth asked.

"Is he going throw up on me?" Toby asked, unsure if he wanted to hold the baby after what he just saw.

"Probably," he said with no humor in his voice. "Now, hold your nephew."

Toby grabbed the squirming baby and held him close before the Faolan's arm reached out and clocked him in the eye.

"Ouch!" he said as he tried to rear his head away.

"Yeah, he's gotten twitchy as the months have gone by," Sarah explained.

Toby grunted and gave a frown to the boy who smiled and laughed in the human's face.

"Not cool, man," he said to the baby. "I don't care how silly that laugh is." Toby paused for a moment as he looked into Faolan's eyes. "Whoa. His eyes are super dark. Ouch!"

Unfortunately, Toby let down his guard and received a quick slap for the tiny baby. Toby turned to Jareth for support. Unfortunately, Jareth was poorly covering his smile with his hand.

"Here," Toby said as he gave Faolan back to Jareth. "He wasn't so slap-happy when you were holding him."

"Ah, my son has good instincts," Jareth teased.

"Whatever," Toby muttered under his breath.

"Do you want to hold your niece?" Sarah asked.

"Does she slap also?"

"No, but she might scream your ears off," she answered.

"What a pair you guys got here," Toby remarked as he took possession of the girl. "Nigella, right? And that's Faolan?"

"Very good," Jareth said. He knelt to the floor, placing his son on the play mat. "My son didn't knock the sense out of you."

"How old are they now?" Toby asked Sarah, ignoring Jareth's off color comments.

"Eight months," Sarah answered as she allowed her daughter to grab her pinky finger.

"Has it really been that long?" Toby asked as he gave a smile to Nigella who was making spit bubbles. "You know, mom and dad think you guys abandoned that house. They're coming up with weird theories about where you guys went and how the lawn is still in good shape."

"Shit," Sarah muttered.

"Language, Precious," Jareth teased as he lay on the floor next to Faolan.

"Really? _You_ are saying that to me? Oh, please," she dismissed. Jareth's mouth turned up into a large grin as he handed a wooden block to the barely crawling baby.

"When are you guys coming back?" Toby asked.

"I don't know," Sarah admitted. "When can babies travel on planes?"

"What?" Jareth asked.

"They're going to think we flew from wherever we have been," Sarah explained. "We're going to need those car seat things-"

"In a few months," Jareth interrupted. "We'll figure things out in the meantime. Might have a weekend to ourselves."

"This is kinda cool," Toby said as he readjusted Nigella in his arms. "Being an uncle and all. So, should I buy them some toys or something?"

"No," Jareth and Sarah said in unison.

"Oookay," Toby said, surprised by their reaction.

"Sorry for that," Sarah said. "The twins received so many gifts at their naming ceremony."

"Yes, all the gold platted cutlery they can ask for," Jareth joked.

"They did receive a lot of toys as well," she sighed.

"Damn," Jareth softly cursed as he quickly sat up.

"Summons?" Sarah asked.

"Of course," Jareth groused as he stood to his feet. Faolan found the strength to crawl over to his father's boot before hitting the heel over and over. He looked down at his son. "Child, I need that." Seeming understanding his father's words, Faolan looked up and laughed. Jareth leaned down and picked up the baby. "Maia."

The human rushed over and grabbed Faolan as Sarah took Nigella from Toby.

"Sorry, Tobes," Sarah apologized. "I'm still not able to move people between worlds. Time for you to go."

"All right," he said as he gave Sarah a hug.

Toby turned to Jareth who was now in his full regalia. "Hey, the last time you just transported me up there, I was dizzy for like a day. Could you not do th-"

Suddenly, Toby was gone. Sarah frowned as she shook her head.

"Well, that was rude," she said. "Could have let him finish his sentence."

"I get bored hearing the same complaint," Jareth stated. He walked over to Sarah and placed a kiss on her forehead. "If the runner gets on my nerves, I'll lock them in a room with a hungry and tired Nigella."

"You're supposed to teach them a lesson," Sarah said. "Not torture them."

Jareth smirked as he began to disappear. "Says who?"

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the monthly time jumps were confusing. I don't think that I'll be doing that in future chapters. However, each chapter going forward will fast forward through several years. That's the plan anyway.


	29. Chapter 29

_And if I mess up everything someday_  
_I won't hide my head in shame_  
_Cause you're the one thing that I got right_

* * *

The feeling of Lochlan dipping the mattress as he got into bed caused Tali to wake up from her slumber. Lying on her side, she opened her eyes, blinking several times to gather her bearings. As her eyes started to focus, Tali noticed a large bouquet of red and orange roses on the side table on her side of the bed. She felts his lengthy nails comb across her naked back. She smiled as she rolled over while she readjusted her head on the pillows to gaze up at him.

"Hello, Little Bird," he muttered with a smile as his hand pushed her messy hair behind her ear.

"Up late night making sure everyone plays nice?" she asked before releasing a yawn.

"Yes, but I wasn't dealing with them," Lochlan confessed.

A little over four years have passed since Tali arrived at the Unseelie Castle, staying permanently with Lochlan. Dealing with the subjects and customs of the Unseelie Court was a steep learning curve for her. The first few years, she frequently acted as Lochlan's shadow. This place wasn't the Seelie Court. Tail quickly learned that if she came across someone who didn't know who she was, she likely would be killed- or at least hunted for sport before being allowed to live by some bored Dark Elf or Fae. Even though word had traveled to the more sentient creatures of the Court who she was, Tali decided that she preferred to spend her time within the safe confines of the castle walls.

"Unable to sleep?" she guessed. Her eyes considered him, noticing that he was fully dressed except for his boots.

"Tying up some loose ends," he corrected.

"Did you steal those flowers from Sarah's garden?" Tali asked.

"Would you believe me if I said I asked her?" Lochlan countered as his ghosted along her shoulder down her side to rest of the hip.

"Why is it so hard for you to ask for things?" she chuckled.

Lochlan's face fell as his mouth set to a frown. "I know," he admitted. "I will confess that my faults are many, and that is one of them." Then, his hand reached behind his back as he set a small box between them. "A little token to make up for my tardiness." He reached over to open the box, displaying the contents to her. Tali looked down at the box before turning her attention to the fae next to her.

"Wha- Why?" she asked. "Where'd you get this ring?"

"Will you marry me, Tali?"

"Tali? Not _Little Bird_?" she teased. Suddenly, she felt him push against her chest as he back pressed against the mattress as Lochlan moved on top of her, hovering over her. His black eyes pierced into hers.

"Answer the question," he growled before he bit her shoulder. Tali gasped as his teeth found her flesh. She started laughing as his biting turned to kisses, tickling her collarbone.

"No! Don't tickle me," she pleaded as his hands traveled down to tickle her stomach. She had trouble pushing his hands away from her as she tried to stop laughing. "Stop it!"

"Answer me!" he demanded as he continued his small onslaught. "Or you shall be in this torment for the rest of your days."

"Yes! Okay?" she complied. Trying to find some reprieve, she curled into the fetal position as one of her hands tried to slap him away. "I was always going to say yes- just stop!"

Lochlan grabbed her arms and pinned them above her head as he positioned his body to straddle hers.

"I expected a gasp of surprise and tears, possibly you becoming so enraptured by feelings of elation that you would thrust your carnal needs upon me," he stated.

"Why?" she chuckled. "I already know you are bad at asking anybody, anything. You're not one to be rushed into things. Plus, I've known of your intentions all along."

Lochlan tilted his head as he raised an inquiring yet irritated brow. "How did you know?"

"Mother told me… about four years ago," she confessed, pursing her lips to suppress her laughter.

"What?" he yelled as he released his arms to sit up, resting on his heels of his feet. "I told her to keep silent about that."

"Yeah, I know," Tali shrugged. "But, she was too excited to keep quiet about it."

"That elf," Lochlan mumbled with a sigh. "When? After her first dinner at the castle?"

"Um," she paused as she looked to the side. "It was when we left after you initially met her."

The Unseelie King's eyes seemed to grow dark, if that was even possible with his black eyes.

"Don't be mad," Tali said as she sat up before placing a kiss on his partially exposed chest. She grabbed the box next to her and placed it in his hands. She backed away from him to rest against the headboard. "Let's try this again. I'll give a great performance; I promise."

Lochlan snorted as he considered the box in his hand. He reached over and grabbed her right hand, lifting it to his mouth to kiss her palm.

"Would you care to become my Queen?" he asked, slipping the ring on her middle finger.

"That's not where Aboveground custom says it goes," Tali remarked as she gazed upon the new ornament on her hand.

Lochlan cleared his throat as he gave her an expectant look. "I was promised at performance, Little Bird."

"Oh, right," Tali said as she brushed her away from her face. She grabbed the box that was in his hand and threw to the side before she tackled him to the bed. Grabbing a hold of his face, her lips found his as her tongue fervently pushed into his mouth. Lochlan's hands locked onto her hips, pulling her back and forth to rub her against his hardened arousal. Tali pulled back as she placed her hands on either side of his head.

"Happy?" she panted as she allowed him to continue to moved her body back and forth.

He smirked before reversing positions with Tali's back now against the bed. "I didn't see any sobbing, but that'll do."

* * *

"Where are you going, Papa?"

The question and tone caught Jareth's attention as he fumbled with the cuffs on his suit. He stopped what he was doing and turned around to see Nigella and Faolan standing in the middle of his and Sarah's sitting room. He walked over to his children before dropping to one knee.

"Aboveground," he answered, looking at his daughter who asked the question. "We've told you both about this for several months."

"But… why can't we go?" Faolan asked as he pouted alongside his sister. "We want to see Uncle Toby too."

Jareth sighed as he stood to his full height. He held out his gloved hands, both children taking one as he walked them to the door. When they left the sitting room and walked the Palace halls, Jareth attempted his best to explain- _again_ \- why they had to stay in the Underground.

"To everyone who lives where Toby lives," he began. "We're merely acquaintances of him and his family. We plan to see him graduate and then leave. Neither one of us plans to cause a commotion."

"A commotion?" Nigella repeated.

"He's talking about you, butt-head," Faolan sniped at his sister.

"Shut up, black eyes!" she yelled.

Nigella tried to tug her arm away from her father but failed since Jareth maintained his grip on both children. Regardless of this impediment, she decided to lunge at her brother. However, Faolan merely laugh as he ducked from his sister's right hook.

"Enough!" Jareth shouted as he gave both children a quick shake, his grip on their hand tightening. Both twins obeyed his command but not before leaning over to each other and sticking their tongues out at one another. "I regret the day I permitted your mother to allow you to watch that television. What do you say to each other?"

"Sorry," they mumbled in unison.

"Now, do you want to stay with Kendrick while we are gone?" he asked. "Or would you rather act like fools and be sent to your rooms?"

"Noooo!" they pleaded as they moved to stand in front of their father. Nigella's bright blue and Faolan's pitch-black eyes were eagerly imploring their father so he wouldn't change his mind. "We don't want to go to our rooms." The twins weren't always on the same page, but when they were, it was noticeable.

"We only want to go more places Aboveground than that one house," Nigella complained.

"Yeah! What's the point in having us learn everything about that place if we can't go anywhere?" Faolan added.

Jareth began walking, making them follow suit. A minute or so went by before he spoke again.

"Glamour will make you two appear like human children," he explained. They stopped at a door before Jareth opened it, pushing them inside. "However, you don't act and positively do not speak like human children. You must realize that it's out of our concern for you."

Jareth noticed Kalin's envoy was already standing in the corner, awaiting his arrival.

"Are you saying we're anomalies?" Faolan grumbled, his shoulder length blond hair swaying to the side. Jareth looked down as his son, giving him a pointed yet amused stare.

"Four year old humans don't understand the word _anomaly_ , let alone how to say it properly," Jareth explained.

"You tell everyone that we're super smart," Nigella said with a smile as she vigorously nodded her head, her long brown hair bouncing to the movement.

Jareth crouched down as he considered both his children.

"You two are extremely clever and bright _faes_ ," he emphasized as he turned to Faolan and then to Nigella. "Two extremely clever and bright _faes_ who love to chatter with anyone and everyone. Now, until you both learn to rein in your need to talk to anyone who will listen, you will have the horrible punishment of being regulated to the entire Underground and that one house Above."

"Daddy… Are you making fun of us?" Faolan asked as he crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows. Jareth only smiled as he stood up straight.

"You're early, Sima," he said, escorting his children to the blond fae.

"I remembered how important your Aboveground meeting is," she said, smiling down at the twins. "I wanted to make sure that I didn't keep you waiting."

Without warning, the door opened as Sarah rushed into the room, crossing the area quickly, and over to her children.

"Sorry, my loves," she said as she dropped down to their level. "My meeting went long, but I didn't want to miss sending you off." She reached over to give Nigella a hug. The little girl hugged her mother back before giving her a kiss on her cheek, which Sarah reciprocated. Sarah released her daughter and then gathered her son into her arms.

"Oi! Mom!" he cried out as he tried to shirk his mother's embrace. Sarah began peppering his face with kisses- mostly because she knew it annoyed him so much. "You're not leaving us for long."

"Ah, I see. Now, the fact that we're leaving is no big deal," Jareth said as he crossed his arms over his chest. Sarah released Faolan to stand up straight again.

"Have they been giving up trouble?" she asked him.

"Of course," he chuckled. However, Sarah didn't find that answer amusing. On the most trying of days, she had to remind herself that they were overall good kids. She would know; Aboveground she dealt with kids all the time. But when her children decided to go bad, they were more than handful.

"No! Don't be mad, mommy," Nigella pleaded as she wrapped her arms around Sarah's thighs. Her cheek pressed against Sarah's leg as she tried to appease her mother.

Sarah reached down, gently grasping Nigella's chin, tilting it upwards so that the little girl met her eyes. "Be good," Sarah insisted as she then turned her attention to her son. "You too."

"Yes, Mother," they said in unison.

"All right. It's time for you to go," she said as she looked up to give Sima a small smile. Then, Sarah felt a tug on the hem of her dress. Nigella was still there, pulling on Sarah's sundress.

"Can you bring back another dice thing?" she asked.

"Dice thing?" Sarah repeated as she looked to Jareth who had no idea what his daughter was talking about. She looked back down at Nigella. "What are you talking about?"

"The die with all the colors," Faolan said.

"The Rubik's cube? You two broke the last one," Sarah said in a critical tone.

"Nuh-uh, I didn't," Faolan refuted, defending himself. He pointed an accusatory finger at his sister. "She did."

"Don't blame it on me," Nigella said, affronted by the accusation. "You wouldn't share."

Sarah knew a verbal spat would break out if she didn't nip this in the bud immediately, and she and Jareth needed to leave soon.

"I will consider bringing something back for you both," she stated. "However, no promises. So, go or you two for sure won't get anything."

Faolan and Nigella ran over to Sima, giving their parents wave before the trio disappeared.

"They'll get easier to deal with when they get older, right?" Sarah sighed when she turned to him.

Jareth walked over to place a kiss on Sarah's forehead. "Never," he said. "They'll always be wonderful thorns in our sides."

* * *

Sarah and Jareth hurried out of the auditorium once the graduates filed out to take class pictures.

"Are you crying?" Jareth asked as he held his wife's hand.

"So? What if I am?" she snapped. Jareth reached into his jacket's breast pocket and handed her a handkerchief.

"Yet you wonder constantly why our children are the way they are," he mused as he guided them out to the courtyard where the recent graduates were gathering with their parents huddled to the side, waiting for the photographer to finish his work. The pair huddled against a side wall, ensuring that no one, especially Toby's parents, could see them.

"I told myself not to cry, but I can't help it," Sarah confessed between sniffles.

"I shouldn't be surprised," Jareth said. "This is coming from the same fae who went on an hour long rant after she saw her brother growth spurt."

"Well, excuse me," she hissed. "But seeing him like that all of sudden jarred my senses. He's supposed to be my little brother, yet he's not little anymore. He's driving; he has girlfriends. Remember a time when he was grossed out by girls? And now… he's… he's going to college!"

"Keep your voice down," Jareth said. "We're over here for a reason. And yes, I do remember when he thought girls were gross. I told him that wouldn't last long. Hmm, it looks like they're doing that hat ritual you told me about."

"Sounds super serious when you say it that way," Sarah said as she peaked around the wall to see the photographer counting down to the teenagers.

"Why the hell are they throwing their hats in the air?" Jareth asked as the graduates congratulated each other. "And why are they shaped that way? It's a useless shape and beyond odd for a piece of headwear."

"Do any of those questions really matter?" she asked, rolling her eyes as she turned to face.

"Depends," Jareth shrugged, smirking down at her. "How idiotic is the answer?"

They both went quiet when they heard grass rustling near their concealed location, alerting them that someone was approaching. Sarah released the breath she was holding when Toby- and Toby alone- rounded the corner.

"Toby!" she squealed. Toby opened his arms, readying himself for Sarah's hug. "What are you doing over here?"

"I told mom and dad to meet me at their car; I told them I left something in a classroom," Toby explained. With one more squeeze, she finally let him go.

"Congratulations, Toby," Jareth said as he held out his hand to the human.

"Thanks," he chuckled, shaking the offered hand.

Toby was a bit over six feet tall. No longer whiny or scratchy, his voice was deep and smooth. His dark blond hair was shaggy but not quite unkempt. Regardless of how long his hair got, it never took away from his bright blue eyes. His several yearlong battles with acne were over, and the only thing that marred his face was a small bit of beard that he was trying to grow out. He was no longer gangly and awkward, finally comfortable in his own skin, mostly thanks to his track and field training.

"Saw you guys from the stage. I was hoping you guys would stay around," he said as he unzipped his gown, revealing a serviceable pair of slacks and a buttoned up shirt with a tie. "I have something for you two and the brats."

"You do realize the more you call them that, the more they act out toward you," Jareth smirked. "It's so cyclical, the three of you."

Toby walked over to the double doors of the school as Sarah and Jareth followed.

"Yeah, I know," he snickered.

"What sort of gift are these?" she asked. "We're supposed to give you gifts." Sarah turned to Jareth. "We remembered his gift, right?"

"Magic, Sarah," he said, narrowing his eyes at her ridiculous question.

"Oh yeah, of course," she said. In all the commotion, she actually forgot what his gift was.

Toby came to a stop in front. He turned to them and told them to wait outside for a moment. When he walked out, he had with a black messenger bag in his hands that appeared to be full of something. Toby reached inside the bag and handed Jareth a stack of books with various cartoonish characters on the cover.

"I know you say not to buy the twins gifts, but they really enjoyed coloring over my term paper notes the last time they visited," he said.

"Oops," Sarah said as she squirmed a bit. "Sorry again about that."

"It's fine," Toby reassured her as he reached in his bag again. "I could still read everything. Now, they have proper coloring books. Here's the crayons."

Sarah grabbed the box of crayons from him as she gawked at the gift.

"A hundred and twenty crayons?" she blurt out. "And a sharpener? When did they start making these?"

"A while ago," Toby laughed, amused by his sister's reaction. He always found the difference between him and his otherworldly "sibling" to be humorous. "You've been out of the loop for a while, I guess."

"These are for the children, Sarah," Jareth pointed out, confused yet charmed by his wife's reaction.

"I know that," she replied. "Doesn't mean I can't play with them."

"Now, where are our gifts?" Jareth abruptly asked.

Toby shook his head as he rummaged through his bag.

 _Can't promise a fae anything unless you follow through,_ he thought.

"Here," he said as he held out a large tin container. "I got an A plus in my home ec class. Totally shocked mom and dad on that one. Thought you guys should have something to show for it- especially since you keep cooking for me when I visit."

Jareth sniffed the air before snatching the box from Toby's hands. He quickly disposed of the hand-tied ribbon around the container to the ground. He took of the top and stared at the container's contents. Sarah leaned over to peek inside.

"Are these macarons?" she asked, clearly impressed, as Jareth grabbed one of the small sandwiches before eating it whole. Sarah gave him a curious look as she sampled one of the macarons.

"Yep," Toby answered, unmistakably proud of himself. "Told you I got an A."

"Bloody brilliant," Jareth mumbled as he shoved another one in his mouth.

"Mm, caramel," Sarah groaned.

" _Salted_ caramel," Toby amended.

"We share these with no one," Sarah told Jareth in a conspiratorial tone.

"Of course not," Jareth said as he plopped another one in his mouth. "I barely want to share these with you."

Toby cleared his throat, garnering the attention of the two fae bickering over sweets.

"What about my present?" he cheekily asked.

"Oh, right," Sarah said before grabbing one last macaron, much to Jareth's annoyance. Sarah held out her hand, forming a deep red crystal in her palm. When it was done forming, she held out her arm further, offering it to Toby. "No more wishing for Jareth. This will take you directly to the Palace whenever you wish. Take good care of it."

Toby furrowed his brows as he cautiously picked up the crystal. He looked at Sarah, then to Jareth, and then back to Sarah again. "Are- Are you sure?"

"Can't handle the responsibility?" Jareth question him.

"No," Toby quickly answered. "I just- wow, thank you."

"However, don't let anyone there learn about your capabilities to make these decadent treats," Jareth said, gesturing to the tin of macarons. "You'll be captured and never returned."

* * *

The sun shined bright into Jareth's study as he sat at his desk, rummaging over a stack of papers that Avitus dropped off a little over an hour ago. A knock on the door brought him out of his mind-numbing haze.

"Enter," he called out as he turned his head toward the door to see Avitus walk in. "You've lost your mind if you believe I should have finished all this work by now."

"No, Sire," Avitus said with a small smile. "King Rhys of the Dwarfs is here to see you." Seeing the blank expression on Jareth's face, Avitus elucidated. "You had a meeting scheduled with him for today, Your Majesty."

Jareth didn't remember such a meeting with the King of the Dwarfs today or any other day. However, he decided not to question the fact. He was never good at remembering such things, one more reason why he valued his advisor.

"Bring him in," he sighed as he moved his paper to the side of his desk. This was the first time the king visited Jareth, and if he thought about, Jareth was sure this would be the first time the king ever addressed him directly without Sarah being at his side.

As soon as Avitus left, King Rhys entered into the Jareth's study. The King of the Dwarfs noticed that the office was small compared to similar spaces various rulers in the Court had. It was custom for one to rise and greet a visiting ruler. However, Jareth was not a fan of tedious customs, Rhys reminded himself as he moved inside the study at Avitus's behest.

Jareth pointed to an overstuffed chair situated across from him. "Have a seat," he said.

"Seems as though you were a bit surprised by me being here," Rhys stated as he sat across from the Goblin King. Dressed in matching dull grey long sleeve shirt and trousers, the king was sorely lacking in choice of attire, Jareth noticed. Yet so was the case whenever he saw the king.

"There is a lot on my mind throughout the days," Jareth said as he leaned back in his chair.

"I'm sure the twins take up much of your time," Rhys stated. "They're very precocious faes, aren't they?"

"Why are you here?" Jareth asked in a matter of fact manner.

Rhys said nothing for a moment as he blinked his eyes and stared at the fae across from him.

"Yes, well," he began. "I was informed a few years ago that you are wholly in charge of finding new homes for wished away children."

"Do dwarfs want human children to adopt?" Jareth said, trying not to laugh at his own joke.

"No," Rhys answered, shaking his head. "I'm here on a personal mission, on behalf of my wife and me."

At this statement, Jareth sat up straight in his chair. "Excuse me?"

"My wife and I- we want a family and need an heir," he stated firmly.

"You? Willing to have a human as an heir to your throne?"

"Let me make myself clear," Rhys said in earnest as he shuffled in his seat a bit before sitting up straight in his chair. "I never shared Oberon's view on many a things, and one of them was his view on humans. When you are subservient to the Seelie throne, you do as he says. My queen and I have struggled for over a millennium for a child. This thought didn't float into our minds out of nowhere. We've considered this for years and years. But Oberon would likely dispose of me if I did such a thing. If having a human as a leader will cause some sort of uproar in my kingdom, then I will step do-"

"No reason to think of the worst scenario when you haven't even come to that bridge, Jareth stated as he stood up from his chair. He walked over to the small bookcase behind his desk. He grabbed a book from the shelf, took out a piece of paper, and then placed the book back in its spot. Jareth walked over to Rhys and handed him paper.

"I received an influx of request since I joined the Court several years ago," Jareth said as he walked around the desk to his chair. "My advisor thought it would be prudent to spell out instructions for those wishing to adopt. Those are yours. It also needs to be signed by your wife."

"Thank you," Rhys said as he looked up from the paper. Jareth said nothing but gave him a curt nod. "I just want to say-"

"If this has anything to do with past actions involving me and my kingdom," Jareth interjected. "I'm not interested in hearing anymore of people's posturing on the issue."

Rhys opened his mouth to speak but reconsidered it.

"Years have now passed," Jareth said, leaning back in his chair. "Never think of me the type of individual to halt someone's happiness for menial reasons. Don't consider the past as an issue between us anymore."

* * *

"Tali!" Faolan and Nigella yelled in unison as they ran toward the half-elf. Nigella was wearing Aboveground purple pajama set while Faolan wore a pajama set that had odd characters covering his loose trousers. Lochlan rounded the corner just as the twins got their hands around his soon-to-be wife.

"I see where I stand," he said, feigning hurt feelings. "No affection for their uncle. I might be heartbroken" Nigella broke off from Tali first. She walked over to the Unseelie King and then simply held up her arms to him. He laughed as he bent down to pick her up, her arms wrapping around his neck. "How's my lovely niece?"

"I am doing well," she responded with a smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck tighter while giving him a loud kiss on the cheek.

"Let's see if I can still pick you up," Tali said to Faolan as she hoisted the boy up, resting him on her hip. "All right. I can do this but not for long. Where are your parents? Are they allowing you to run around care-free now?"

"No," Faolan giggled as he shook his head, his blond tresses whipping across his face. He then pointed to the slightly a jarred doors. "They're in the sunroom."

"We've been waiting for you," Nigella said as she continued to hug Lochlan's neck.

"Father said Uncle Lochlan is generally slow, hopelessly late, and doesn't understand the concept of time," Faolan confessed.

"Snitch!" Jareth yelled from the other room as Sarah's laughter filtered out into the hallway.

"All these years, I always wondered about the horrible statements my brother said behind my back. Now, I have you two," Lochlan said as he walked to the sunroom. "Never let it go unsaid how much I appreciate you two."

When Tali and Lochlan entered the room, they placed the twins on the ground. Nigella went over to the white couch, climbing up the furniture to sit next to her mom. Faolan returned to the coffee table where his father was still sitting, crayons and books laying about.

"Sorry we're late," Tali apologized. Sarah stood up from the couch to greet the pair.

"I'm not," Lochlan said. "Clearly you talk nonsense about me freely to you children."

"Was I wrong?" Jareth countered.

"That's not the point," Lochlan disputed.

"None of that is the point," Sarah said. "The point is to congratulate you both on overcoming Lochlan's chronic tardiness, in all things."

Lochlan sneered but otherwise kept his mouth shut.

"He asked, and that's all that matters," Tali said. "I've been so busy these past few years to even think about it."

"Does this mean you'll be the Unseelie Queen?" Nigella asked as she bounced up and down in her seat, apparently entertaining herself. "Will you have crowns like mommy?"

Tali's eyes went wide with surprise at the question. She never thought about that, and, predictably, Lochlan never brought it up. Ten days have passed since he proposed but neither one has spoken about any of the logistics of fashion and accessories. Tali found the only crown Lochlan possessed over a year ago. Somehow, after his coronation, the Unseelie crown found its way into an abandoned room in one of the spires of the castle.

"Um," Tali muttered, not knowing how to answer the question.

"Such dull things will be considered at a later time, my dear," Lochlan said to Nigella as he walked over to his brother and nephew. "What fit of madness is this?"

"They're called crayons!" Faolan emphatically proclaimed as he held up the piece of wax in his hand up to the Unseelie King. "Uncle Toby got them for us."

"And all these books to color in," Jareth said with a sigh. "This activity is beyond mind-numbing"

"Humans are extremely odd creatures," Lochlan stated as he watch his nephew use the crayons on a black and white landscape.

"Why are you guys still standing?" Sarah asked. "Sit down." Lochlan decided to sit on the floor next to Faolan as Tali sat in the chair next to the couch where Sarah and Nigella were situated.

"Those are interesting trousers you have there, Faolan," Tali remarked.

"It's a train with eyeballs!" he responded as he looked up from his drawing to answer Tali.

"Thomas the Train Engine," Sarah said, shaking her head at her son's description. "It's cartoon or whatever from Above."

"A cartoon?" Tali asked.

"Never mind," Sarah mumbled. "He only likes it because it's a train with eyes."

"Are you going to discuss anything regarding this recent development?" Jareth asked. "Or are you going to continue to discuss my children's horrid choice in clothing?"

"Hey!" Sarah yelled, insulted by him disparaging her choice in clothing for the twins.

"Oh right," Tali said, turning her body to look at Lochlan. "We wanted to ask something- of Jareth."

Jareth raised a curious brow as he turned his head to face his brother.

"What? Why do I have to ask?" he complained.

"Just. Ask. Him," Tali said through gritted teeth.

"Well, this got interesting," Sarah commented as Nigella rested her head in her mother's lap.

Suddenly appear uneased, Lochlan cleared his throat as he first looked to Sarah and then to Jareth.

"We would like to have a small ceremony in the Goblin Castle gardens," he said quickly and almost under his breath.

"I'm sorry. I didn't hear that," Jareth said, feigning deafness, wanting to hear his brother ask permission again. "Could you repeat that?"

Recognizing the gimmick, Lochlan was not willing to play along. "Why you useless, bloody f-"

Jareth placed his hands over his son's ears. "Dear brother, my innocent children's ears," he said with a concerned frown. Lochlan scowled at his brother before looking over at Nigella who seemed to fall asleep in Sarah's lap and Faolan who was ignoring everything around him in favor of coloring. Lochlan returned his irritated glare to Jareth.

"Our wedding. We _request_ to have it in you castle's gardens," Lochlan spat out.

"Now, brother, was that so difficult?" Jareth asked as he dropped his hands from his son's head.

"Don't push your luck," Sarah warned him.

"You wish to wed in mother's gardens?" Jareth ask as he looked at Tali and then Lochlan.

"Couldn't have it on my castle grounds," Lochlan stated. "Something will try to eat Tali in the middle of the ceremony."

"That's not the main reason why," Tali said, struggling to not roll her eyes. "It's a beautiful location that means a lot to Lochlan and, therefore, me. Will you agree to it?"

Jareth brought his ungloved hand to his chin as he considered the proposition.

"Don't be a nuisance, Jareth," Sarah sighed. "You know you'll say yes."

"Of course," he answered. "However, you can only have access for one hour- no more than one individual in attendance; a horse might be allowed…"

"I'm willing to fight you if only to wipe that smug, devious look of your face," Lochlan sneered. Jareth released a loud laugh at his brother's aggravation.

"Please tell me you are planning a short engagement," Sarah sighed.

Tali groaned. "It will be now."

* * *

Crossing her arms while glaring at Jareth, Sarah reclined in a high wing backed chair in their sitting room, trying to remain comfortable during this wearisome conversation.

"I understand what you are saying, Sarah," Jareth said as he paced in front of her. "However, the children need to stay in the Palace to be schooled. If you don't believe Maia can handle such a task, we can hire a tutor or several. However many will make you comfortable."

"My issue isn't with having a certain number of instructors," she stated. "I want them to go to normal school."

"They are not normal children!" Jareth countered. "To think that we could send them off to any sort of institute as though they are not who they are. Even the dukes and lords of the Court do not send their progenies to a standard school."

Sarah ran her fingers through her hair as she considered her thoughts, trying to choose her words wisely.

"I don't want them to grow up like I did," she explained. "I want them to be around other children. That's important to me."

Jareth released a frustrated grumble as he pinched the bridge of his nose. After a few minutes, he walked over and crouched down next to her.

"Faolan and Nigella will never have to know the life you led as a child," he said, taking her hand to hold in his. "Nor the way I did."

"But they're so different," Sarah muttered. "I don't want them to be ostracized more than they will already be."

Jareth sighed as he rose to his feet. He suspected that this conversation was brought about by the news they received from the High Seer only a few days earlier. When the twins turned five in a few months, Nigella and Faolan were told that they were going to commence training of their magic. At that time, the High Seer performed an examination of the twins' latent magic. Their magic contained equals parts Unseelie magic and a powerful strain of Seelie magic, the result of Jareth's magic and Sarah's once unstable magic. The High Seer already offered to personally instruct the children on how to use their magic after informing the royal couple about their children's magical potential.

"Who said they will be ostracized?" Jareth asked.

"You know what I mean," she said. "I want people to have a chance to get used to them."

"Damn it, Sarah," he spat. "They're not a pair of newly cobbled shoes."

Tears pricked her eyes as she stood from her chair. "Well, now I feel like an asshole," she mumbled as she walked to the bedchamber. "Thanks for that." However, Jareth cut off her exit as he moved to stand in front of her. "What?" she asked as she glared at him. "It's settled; Hire all the tutors you want." She tried to walk around him, but his hand caught her arm, staying her movements.

"Don't," he ordered in a composed manner. "Don't walk away from me."

"I'm tired," she admitted. "I just want some time to myself."

Jareth looked down at the floor and then back to her before releasing her arm. "Give me a few hours to think of a compromise. Don't be despondent, and don't be angry with me."

"Sure. All right," she conceded. Jareth suddenly reached to the side to caress her face before placing a kiss on her lips.

"Everything will be fine," he said.

* * *

Jareth nuzzled Sarah's neck as their laborious breathing settled down. Jareth rolled off her to lie beside her on their bed.

"What do think about my plan now?" Jareth asked.

"What plan?" she wondered aloud as she turned her head to look at him. "You just came in here and fondled me awake. You didn't talk to me about anything."

"Brilliant strategy," he boasted with a smile. "It makes you more open to listening to my idea."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, barely believing his gall. "What are these ideas of yours about?"

"About the children's education," Jareth explained.

"Wha-Why didn't you simply wake me up?" Sarah asked.

Jareth crawled over to Sarah before moving back on top of her. "Oh, but I did wake you, Precious," he purred into her ear. Sarah pushed against his shoulders to lift him off of her.

"Stop being evasive," she told him. "What is your idea?"

"Establishing a small classroom, here in the Palace, with a few of their fellow peers," he answered. "They will be around other children within the confines of the Palace."

Sarah opened her mouth to speak but closed it quickly as she mulled over what he just proposed.

"Where are the children coming from?" she asked.

"We steal them, clearly," Jareth responded, causing Sarah to finally push him completely off her.

"Jareth! Don't say stuff like that," Sarah snickered, disappointed in herself for finding his joke remotely humorous. They both turned on their sides to face each other.

"Are you keen to the idea?" he asked as his naked hand caressed her shoulder. "It's a compromise, like I promised."

"It might work," she said. "Maybe. We're going to have to put more thought into this idea." Jareth reached over to wrap his arm around her hips, pulling her over to him.

"We could simply make more children," he mumbled into her shoulder before latching onto her neck. Sarah released a heady chuckle as his attentions moved to the shell of her ear.

A banging on the door startled them both.

"MOOOOOOM! Daddy!" Faolan's voice rang out on the other side of the door. Another volley of thumping of the door occurred following a series of giggling.

"Papa! Mommy!" yelled Nigella. Both parents jumped out of bed. Jareth hastily put on his trousers as Sarah wrapped herself in a lengthy, plush robe. Jareth walked to the door and opened it, looking down at his cheeky children.

"What do you want?" he asked them, tilting his head to the side.

"Hi," Nigella simply said as she stuck her hand up in the air and waved at him.

"What are you and mom doing?" Faolan asked.

"Discussing the imprudent idea of having more of you," he answered as he bent down to pick up his son. Sarah moved out of the bedchambers and into the sitting room. Nigella instantly clutched her body to her mother's leg.

"Where's Maia?" Sarah asked. As though on cue, the human ran into the sitting room, breathing heavily as she came to a stop.

"Crap, sorry," she wheezed as her shoulders slacked in defeat. "They got away from me."

Sarah leaned down to pry her daughter off her leg. "How many times do we have to tell you not to make Maia run after you?"

"Um…" Nigella mumbled.

"Ten?" Faolan guessed. "You've told maybe ten times." Against his better nature, Jareth laughed at his son's remark.

"Oh, my mischievous children," he said as he placed Faolan on his feet. "Let's see: how are you to be disciplined?"

"No, we were just joking," Nigella said. The twins backed away from their parents and huddled next to each other, horrified that they might be held accountable for their actions.

"Yeah, we were only playing a game," Faolan added.

"Maia, were you playing a game with them?" Jareth asked.

"No, Sire," she answered. "I was teaching them about the Seelie Court geography before they decided to run away." Sarah released a groan after she heard what they did.

"But- we thought it was a game," Faolan rationalized as Nigella eagerly nodded her head in agreement.

"Lock up their playroom and have a guard put a barrier over it," Jareth said, crossing his arms across his bare chest, as he scowled at the twins. "And they will have no access to the playroom for two weeks: three days for what you did to Maia and the rest of being insincere about what you did."

Both Nigella and Faolan opened their mouth, about to protest their punishment.

"I will add an additional week if cry another word about this," he warned them. The twins kept their mouths closed as their faces looked down at the ground.

"Come on, you guys," Maia said softly. "You still have your lessons."

"Yes, ma'am," they murmured in unison as they turned and walked to their governess. When the trio left, Sarah walked over to the couch to sit and then looked at Jareth who was trying to suppress a smirk.

"Are you laughing at your children?" she asked.

"They did it to themselves," he stated. "I'll stop laughing at them when they stop making foolish decisions."

* * *

Jareth walked the halls of the Goblin Castle, occasionally opening door to see if he could find his advisor. He arrived at a drawing room, opened the door, and found Sarah and the children sitting on the floor with an odd concoction on their hands and a large bowl between them. Sarah was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. And much to Jareth's continual aversion to the idea, their children were dressed in the same type of outfit.

"What the hell are you doing?" he said with a look of disgust on his face.

Nigella held up a large ball of the grey matter. "It's play-um- play…"

"Play-doh," Sarah whispered to the little girl.

"We made play-doh!" she yelled in triumph.

"Mom made it for us," Faolan said as he reached into the bowl to grab more of the play-doh.

"Do all of your Aboveground activities have to be so revolting?" Jareth asked his wife as he watched in morbid fascination as Sarah dipped her hand into the goo with Faolan. "This is disgusting."

"It's not gross," she refuted. She looked down at her hands to see the "doh" sloughing off her fingers. "Okay, maybe it is. I might have been off with my measurements, and the play-doh didn't come out right. Yet, this is fun regardless."

Jareth shook his head as he released a sigh. "Have you seen Avitus?"

"Not for a while," Sarah replied.

"He was with Maia," Faolan said casually as he and his sister dumped the poorly made play-doh onto the towel. For some reasons, the twins thought it was a good idea to try to make a structure out of the amorphous blob.

"When?" Sarah asked as she observed her children's action with curious fascination.

"Uh…um," Faolan hummed.

"When we left kitchen," Nigella said as she patted the glob down with her palm.

"Oh, yeah," Faolan remembered. He decided his sister's idea of hitting the gooey blob and thought it wise to join in. "They walked in the other direction."

At those words, Sarah and Jareth's eyes met, both giving each other a knowing glance. Jareth's mouth slowly turned up into a sinister smile.

"Jareth, don't," Sarah warned. Jareth walked over to Nigella and Faolan, giving them a quick kiss on their foreheads before turning on his heels to walk out of the room.

"It's very important that I find my advisor, Precious," he told her, not trying hard to hide his insincere motives.

"What's going on?" Nigella asked when Jareth left. "Where's Papa going?"

Sarah grumbled a bit to herself before turning to smile at her daughter. "Nothing to worry yourself about, sweetie."

* * *

Jareth roamed the halls, occasionally running into a goblin as he searched for Avitus and Maia. He found his way over to a more isolated part of the castle; the area was mostly housed storage closets. The rustling of some kind caught his attention. He rounded the corner and went to the first door on his right. Without a warning, he turned the knob and opened the door wide open.

"Shit! Oh, shit!" Maia screamed, nearly falling off an old side table as she turned her back to Jareth, Avitus scrambling to place his coat over her to cover her exposed back. He then moved to stand in front of her.

"This is interesting," Jareth hummed as he stared at Avitus. His advisor's normally impeccable straight shirt was ruffled with several buttons undone, his disheveled mauve-grey hair a deviation for him. His eyes were wide with shock as a hint of embarrassment flashed within them for a moment. In contrast, Jareth struggled to keep his laughter suppressed. However, he could see humiliation rising in both Maia and Avitus.

"Avitus," he said, his eyes empty of any emotion. "May I speak with you… privately?" Then he spun around to wait in the hallway, leaving the pair alone. Jareth rounded the cornered before stopping to lean against the wall

"Damn it, Avitus," Maia hissed, her voice traveling through the halls. "You said we wouldn't get caught. He's going to fire me!"

"No, no," Avitus quickly said, trying to console her. "Everything will be fine. I assure you. Please, stay put. I'll be right back." The door opened as Avitus walked out of the room, appearing less disheveled than before. He walked to the corner of the hall and looked up to see his king grinning like a cat who caught the canary.

"I'm pleased that my search for you resulted in something so auspicious," he said.

"Please, Sire-"

His words were cut short when he saw Jareth raise a finger to his lips, instructing him to be quiet.

"Don't let the poor girl be confined to that drafty closet. Have you lost your manners?" he chided as he turned to walk away. "I need you in my office. Be there in half an hour."

* * *

Jareth peered out the window in his office to gaze upon the Labyrinth. A short rap on the door caught his attention, yet he continued his attention to outside.

"Enter," he called out. He heard the door open as someone walked in before hearing the door closed shut.

"You needed me, Sire?" Avitus asked in a small, soft voice. Jareth turned around to see his advisor standing near the door, barely standing in the room.

"How long has this been occurring?" Jareth asked as he walked to his desk. He plopped down in his chair, placing his arms on the rests.

Avitus had his hands clasped tightly together in front of him. "Nearly, uh, nearly a year, Your Majesty," he answered while gazing at the floor. Avitus didn't know what he expected when they were caught by Jareth. After the initial shock wore off and Jareth left, Avitus promised Maia that he would take the brunt of any blame that would follow. He cared about her too much to allow anything to happen to her, especially since he was the one that pursued her. Although he appreciated her willingness to accompanying him to Jareth's study, Avitus had her stay in his chamber until he returned.

The sound of brazen laughter filled the study causing Avitus to snap his head to attention, seeing the Goblin King's head titled back in brazen mirth.

"Sire?" Avitus asked, not sure how to feel with this odd development that he wasn't prepared for. Several minutes passed before Jareth was able to compose himself.

"I can't believe I never noticed," Jareth said, trying to control his laughter.

"If you find the idea of the relationship of Maia and me-"

"Shut up, Avitus," Jareth interrupted, his earlier gaiety gone. "And sit down." Avitus stood up straight, took a deep breath, and walked over to the chair and sat down.

"Let me first say, Sire, that I am sorry-"

"I told you to be quiet," Jareth said with a weary sigh. Avitus lips pursed together in annoyance and shame, but he refrained from speaking. "Why feel the need to withhold this information from Sarah and me?"

"Originally, we didn't believe we should tell you," Avitus explained.

"If your decisions require you to hole up in an abounded section of the castle," Jareth interjected. "Maybe the alternative would have been better."

"We were afraid that you and Queen Sarah would disapprove," he admitted.

"Are we your caretakers?" Jareth asked, tilting his head, amused that his advisor was trying not to squirm in his seat.

"No, but Maia takes care of you children-"

"And?" he defied. "I'd be diluted to believe that taking care of my lovely yet taxing children is the be all and end all of Maia's life."

"You're not angry?" Avitus asked as his eyes eagerly searched Jareth's.

"I'm disappointed that you felt the need to hide something from me," Jareth acknowledged, frowning at his advisor. "I have no need for such knowledge of what you or Maia do when your work is done. Nevertheless, as humorous as it was to find you two acting like a pair of horny adolescents, I'm not comfortable with the idea that you would find me anything less than pleased that you have found happiness."

Avitus hung his head in shame.

"You've been a widower for a very long time," Jareth said, choosing his words carefully. "It's about time you spend time on something, or _someone_ , else besides yelling at me about my work."

Avitus smiled as he let out a little chuckle. "Maia will be ecstatic to hear this."

"Have her speak to Sarah," Jareth instructed. "I shouldn't speak to her. She'll more than likely die of embarrassment."

"Yes, that's probably true," he stated with a nod of his head. "So far, she's merely passed out from humiliation."

"A year, you said?" Jareth questioned.

"Is that really necessary to go over that again?" Avitus asked, rubbing his forehead.

"These children are taking up so much of my time," Jareth muttered as he flipped through a stack of papers. "To think, I overlooked something like that."

"Was there a reason for you pacing the halls, searching for me?" Avitus asked, shaking his head. Jareth pulled out the required paper and handed it to his advisor.

"Rhys accidentally sent Sarah the formal request to place his and his wife's name on the list of prospective parents," Jareth said as Avitus took the paper from him. "Please file this, please."

"Chronologically?" he asked.

"For right now, yes," Jareth said as he rose from his seat. "Although he's in need of an heir, I'm not comfortable inserting him ahead of others who have been waiting longer than him."

"Daddy!" yelled Faolan as the twins knocked on the door. They no longer bang on doors like a bunch of hooligans, thanks to Sarah and Jareth insisting they cease that obnoxious habit of theirs. But it was clear that neither one told the twins that it was also improper to yell through closed doors.

Jareth waved off Avitus as he walked to the door. Opening it, he noticed an odd substance on the outside door knob. Jareth looked down at the twins to see that they were covered, head to toe, in the odd, beige concoction Sarah made for them, which also happened to be on his door knob.

"What. Are. You. Doing?" Jareth asked through gritted teeth. A small snicker exposed Sarah who was standing off to the side, nearly out of view. He stepped out of his study to stand in front of his wife, who he once believe loved him, wishing against unnecessary stress in his life, only wanting the best for him.

"We made more," Sarah said with a snort, covering her mouth as she stifled her laughter.

"Mom said to come over and give you hugs," Faolan announced. Suddenly, Nigella and Faolan ran over to him, enveloping their father in an enormous gunk-filled hug.

"Argh!" Jareth yelled as he was bombarded by messy children. The runny goop easily attached to him as he succumbed to his children general adoration of all things disgusting.

"I knew you would hate this so much," Sarah laughed, using the wall to help keep her standing. She noticed Jareth's livid stare pinned to her, which only made her laugh even more. "You should see your face!"

Jareth took off his gloves before running both his hand through his children's muck filled hair. "Why is your mother so cruel to me?"

"We all got messy," Sarah said, walking over to him. For the first time, Jareth noticed that her t-shirt and jeans were covered in dried beige globs. She ran her fingers through the base of his skull before giving him a quick. "We didn't want you to feel left out." When she backed away from him, he saw a sly smile form on her lips. He brought his hands up to his head.

"Did you put that shit in my hair?" he asked, shock at such an occurrence.

"Papa cursed," Nigella giggled as she continued to cling tight to his leg.

Sarah laughed as she quickly showed him the back of her head. It too was covered in goo. "Like I said: we didn't want you to feel left out."


	30. Chapter 30

_All you have to do is call_  
_And I'll be there, yes I will_  
_You've got a friend_

* * *

Faolan dug his heals into the floor as he tried to steady his breathing. Tightening his grip on his practice sword, he brought his head up to glare his father.

"You're taking too much time to recover," Jareth stated as he warily watched his son as he held his own mock sword in his hand. "You weren't this slow yesterday."

Faolan narrowed his eyes as his jaws clenched in agitation, causing his father to smile in amusement. Jareth always knew the quickest way to agitate his son. Faolan charged at Jareth. However, his movements were too reckless and transparent allowing Jareth to sidestep the attack, grab his son from side, and throw him to the ground.

"Gah!" the young fae cried out in frustration as his father came into his view.

"If you were too exhausted to train," Jareth said with a hint of teasing in his. "Then you simply should have told me."

"I'm not tired," Faolan grumbled. Jareth offered his hand to his son, which he took, standing to his feet. "Eh- maybe a little."

"You're making excuses," Jareth said. "You are done for the day."

"But-"

"Faolan," Jareth firmly stated. "If you were sword fighting someone other than me, you would have several dozen lacerations covering your body. We're done."

"Fine," he acquiesced with a huff. He handed the wooden sword this father before watching his father put the replica swords in their proper storage location.

Jareth noticed out of the corner of his eye that someone had brought a light lunch for the pair, setting it near the door of the room.

"Don't stand there, feeling sorry for yourself," Jareth said as he walked over to the trays. He sat on the floor next to the food. "Come over here and sit."

Although he dragged his feet, Faolan did as he was asked to sit next to his father. When he finally settled, he noticed the sandwich that was being offered to him by Jareth.

"Your enthusiasm is appreciated," Jareth stated when his son started eating. "However, your eagerness will be your downfall if you refuse to concentrate on technique."

"I only want to be the best," he confessed in between chews as he gazed at the floor. "And I don't want to waste time getting there."

"You can never be the best," Jareth said. "That accolade is mine." That remark made the young fae release a snort. Jareth smiled down at his son before returning to his own food. "There's no reason for you to be so earnest about this. You only started a few months ago."

Several months ago, out of nowhere- or so it seemed to Jareth, Faolan asked about his grandmother training him in the art of sword fighting. His son was stunned to learn that she taught him at the age of five, whereas Faolan was too preoccupied with playing with coloring books and toys. Nearly nine years old, Faolan had the sudden feeling that he was lagging behind. The following day, he approached his father asking that he teach him how to sword fight. He was afraid that his mother would oppose the idea yet surprising him with her approval. Nigella even joined them for the first month before she found herself so bored with the entire process that she left them and never returned.

"You say that, but I'm so far behind already from where you were," Faolan said as he took another bite from his sandwich. "I don't want to be a disappointment."

Jareth let out a sigh as he placed his food on the tray as he turned to face his son. "Faolan," he said, gaining the attention of the young fae. "The circumstances surrounding me when I was younger are not in your life. There's no reason to trouble yourself with problems that will never be bother to you."

"Yeah, but-"

"The heir to a young kingdom racked with conflict had a real burden to shoulder," he reminded Faolan. "Your mother, others, and I worked hard and made sacrifices for peace so that you and your sister would not have the troubles we had."

Faolan returned his attention back to the ground as he chewed his food.

"I'm not making excuses. I do believe you have incredible potential," Jareth continued. "But your life will be long and full of hardships; don't place superfluous mental burdens upon yourself."

"All right," he grumbled as he lifted his head to give his father a small smile.

"You should hurry up and finish," Jareth said as he grabbed his sandwich off the tray. "Your sister will be arriving shortly."

"She's so annoying," Faolan said with food in his mouth while rolling his eyes. "Can we just lock her out of here?"

Nigella may have found sword fighting to be dull, but that doesn't mean she was soft. Jareth found out quickly that his daughter found grappling a more appealing mode of combat. Apparently, the young fae found swords cumbersome; she was much more comfortable using her fists or magic. Faolan was perpetually bothered that his sister mastered the ability to easily pin him to the ground.

"I heard that," said the vaguely annoyed voice above them. Standing in the middle of the entryway, Nigella smiled down at her brother and father, clad in black tights and a baggy grey t-shirt. Her warm brown hair was pull back tight into a high ponytail, a braid that stopped in the middle of her spine. "You always have to talk behind my back."

"That's rich coming from you," Faolan sniped back as he rose to his feet.

"Yeah, whatever," she said.

"You're early," Jareth noticed. "I take it your riding lessons did not go well."

"Roger bucked me off five times," Nigella confessed. "I wanted to keep going, but mom said to stop for the day."

Faolan let out a snort. "Roger hates you," he chuckled. "Has she even allowed you to ride her once around the field without problem?"

"Shut up," she snipped. "I'm breaking her in."

Roger was a filly less than two years old that Nigella acquired from her father's stable nearly a month ago. Much to everyone's confusion, she decided to name the young female horse Roger. She never gave a reason for the name, but Faolan liked to joke that the horse probably hates her name.

"Don't worry too much about it," Jareth said. "I remember your mother being tossed a few times from Daisy." Both his children turned to him, gawking in disbelief at him.

"No way," Faolan scoffed. "Mom's great with Daisy and every horse she comes across."

"I've told you already," he said. "You have to start from somewhere."

"Oh, I almost forgot," Nigella said to her brother. "Mom said to meet her in her office."

"On it," he stated as he initially bumped into her shoulder while leaving leave the room. When Faolan left, Nigella joined her father on the ground.

"You're not going to be able to counter my moves after having eaten a meal," she teased. Jareth plopped the last bit of sandwich into his mouth. "You're going to be slow."

"What your brother lacks in confidence, you have in abundance, my darling," he chuckled as he stood to his feet. He held out his hand to Nigella which she quickly took, allowing him to hoist her up. Without warning, Nigella found herself knocked to the ground.

Jareth smiled as he released his hold on her arm. "You said something about me being slow?"

"You cheated. You're supposed to warn me when you're going to begin," she huffed out her complaint. "That's not fair."

* * *

A knock on the door caused Sarah to put down her pen to look up at the closed door across the room from her.

"Come in," she said as she sat back in her chair. The door opened to reveal her son who snuck his head into the room. Sarah smirked at his antics. "You need to walk all the way in."

"Nigella told me to come see you," he said as he walked over to the chair across from his mother.

"Could you not be bothered to bathe before you came here?" Sarah asked, scrunching her nose. "Seems you worked up a nasty sweat."

Faolan stood up from his chair. "If you want me to leave-"

"Sit down, you silly child," Sarah said, rolling her eyes.

"Am I in trouble?" he asked as his forehead scrunched in confusion.

"Do you need to be in trouble?" she countered as she raised a brow.

Faolan huffed as he shook his head. "You and dad are so much alike sometimes."

"Anyway," Sarah sighed. "I was told to ask you two separately. Your Uncle sent a letter. He's requesting that you and Nigella visit him and Tali. He's expecting you guys to pass your test. He feels it's time to give you two a proper tour of his Court. He said you'll be gone for about a six days."

"Asked us separately?" Faolan repeated. "Does that mean you asked Nigella already?"

"I did," Sarah answered with a nod.

"What did she say?"

"Nope," Sarah shook her head. "I'm not supposed to influence your decision in anyway. Lochlan said if you are to come, he wants you to be there because you wanted to go, not because your sister may or may not go."

"Umm," Faolan hummed as he mulled over the idea. The twins briefly visited the Unseelie Court when they were younger. Following the wedding of Lochlan and Tali, the guests converged at the Unseelie Castle for the reception. Faolan doesn't remember much from that day except how fascinated he was with the revolting draugar roaming around the perimeter of the castle.

"Sure," he answered. "It'd be fun to spend time with them. It feels like we haven't seen them in a while."

Sarah gave him a smile as she grabbed a pen and sheet of paper, presumably to tell Lochlan to prepare for the twins.

"So, are you ready for tomorrow?" Sarah asked as she continued to jot down her words.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Faolan asked, very sure of himself. His response and tone caused Sarah to chuckle as she briefly looked up at her son. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing to worry about," Sarah said. "Oh, and because I have to remind you every single time: when you are around the High Seer, remember that you have manners and your parents did nothing to deserve the shame you would put on them with such actions."

"Okay, mom," he said, rolling his eyes. "You keep acting like I'm a nuisance."

"You need to stop calling the High Seer _old man_ ," she said sighed as she stared at him, deciding to be forthcoming.

"What? He's old. Finnegan has _so_ many wrinkles," Faolan shrugged. "Should I call him old fae instead?"

Sarah rubbed her forehead in exasperation. "I have to deal with your father and now you."

"Huh?" he asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

Sarah put down her pen and placed her folded hands on the desk. "You are very bright and your brain comes up with many interesting thoughts and ideas," she said. Then she pointed her index finger to her mouth. "You have been burden with your father's disposition to ignore the filter that should be in place between your brain and your mouth."

"Eh," Faolan grumbled, his shoulders slumped, as he rubbed his temple before running his hand through his blond hair. "I don't mean to be rude. Has he complained?"

"No, he hasn't," Sarah answered. "But I doubt he ever would. I overheard you last week during your last session with him. You wouldn't want him to be biased toward your test, would you?"

Faolan's eyes grew wide before narrowing in suspension. "He wouldn't do that… would he?"

"I thought you had no concern about tomorrow," she said.

"Maybe a little," he confessed as he dropped his head to stare at the ground. "Nye is better at magic. She was able to form crystals a full year before me or Kendrick. And Kendrick is generally aggravating- even when he messes up, he's still has nice things to say. It's like being angry is an anathema to him." Faolan sighed as he brought up his head to glance at his mother. "Sometimes, I feel like… I don't know."

He then returned his attention to the floor. He heard his mother sigh and the sound of her chair moving. She knelt beside him, her long gown flowing around her. Sarah grabbed one of his hands, clutching it in hers.

"Faolan," she said softly. He slowly turned his head, looking down at their hands before gazing over at her. "You are a bright child with a lively spirit that epitomizes everything about us faes. Don't feel the need to follow behind your sister. If you continue to practice and do your best, don't think that you will always be behind your sister. You both will find a way to grow into two amazing adults- unique in your own way."

"Yeah, all right," he mumbled as he turned back to look at the floor.

"Hey," Sarah said, grabbing his chin to force him to look at her. "In case you need a reminder: you are your father's son and your grandfather's namesake. Don't ever forget who you are."

"And what about you?" Faolan asked thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?"

"You mentioned dad and grandfather," he clarified. "What do I have from you?" Sarah paused for a moment to consider the answer. She reached up to kiss her son on his forehead.

"Being a late bloomer."

* * *

 "All right, you three," High Seer Finnegan said as he moved off to the side. Nigella, Faolan, and Kendrick sat on the grass on a knoll outside the Palace walls with a small cluster of trees situated in front of them. The warmth of the summer was giving way to fall as the wind whirled around them.

"Are we done yet?" Faolan complained as he fell back to lie on the grass.

"You just arrived here no more than five minutes ago, my lord," Finnegan said, shaking his head. "I promise that I wouldn't keep any of you too long. But as you know, we have some unfinished business."

Faolan sat up quickly. "Are we going to learn how to go Aboveground?"

"We don't even know how to move between rooms," Kendrick pointed out. "Let alone kingdoms."

"Or how to transform," Nigella added, giving her brother the stink eye.

"You two are no fun," Faolan huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Regardless of how tedious you have found my magical exercises that I forced you to endure for the past few years," Finnegan stated, gaining control over the group. "All the abilities that you just mentioned will be unattainable if you have not mastered the simple control of gathering your magic into a control crystal." He then held up his hand, formed a white crystal, and threw it at one of the trees, nearly thirty feet away. The crystal hit a branch causing it to become dislodged from the tree.

"Nice throw, old man," Faolan smirked, earning him an elbow in the rib from his sister.

"Irrespective of my age, if you are not able to show me that you have mastered basic control over your magic these past few years," Finnegan said. "Today will not be your last day with me. We will continue lessons until you have proven yourself."

This time, Nigella openly complained. "Bullocks," she hissed. Kendrick, who sat on the next to her, leaned over.

"You'll do fine," he reassured her, his long loose curled hair blowing in the wind. "Don't doubt yourself. You'll pass with no issues."

The son of Kalin and Taggert was less than a year younger than the twins yet the time he has spent being tutored alongside them showed that he primarily took after his father with his calm self-assuredness. However, unlike his father, his physical characteristics were influenced by his mother's fae heritage. He possessed the unmistakable eye features of the fae. Several years ago, Finnegan once told him that, one day, Kendrick may develop the ability to transform into a centaur, but now, he was purely bipedal.

"Why do we have to throw it?" Faolan protested. "Can't we just make a crystal and you can assess the power of our magic that's encased in it?"

"He needs to determine our level of focus as we release the magic to hit the tree branch," Kendrick explained. "Power without focus is treacherous."

"Know it all," Faolan growled. He turned back to the High Seer. "And it's windy out here. This test is not really fair because of this wind. I motion that we all come back and do this on a different day-at the earliest, next week."

"I'll go first," Nigella announced as she stood to her feet, ignoring her brother's attempt to wiggle out of the exam. "No reason to delay the inevitable."

"Oi!" Faolan yelled at her as she walked forward. "What if I wanted to go first?"

"Next time, don't stall by making up excuses," she said over her shoulder before returning her focus to the small forest.

Nigella stood up straight and let out deep breath. She saw a tree that was situated next to the one the High Seer used and focused on the top branches of the tree. As her blue eyes turned red, she held out her right hand at her side forming a coral colored crystal. Focusing on her target, she rotated her arm back, readying herself to throw.

"Don't miss!" Faolan yelled. Suddenly, Kendrick slapped his hand across the disruptive fae's mouth, tackling him to the ground in the process. "Ah! Get off me!"

"Why do you have to be so insufferable?" Kendrick countered as he moved his head away from Faolan's fist. The two scuffled a bit when a deafening sound emanated from the trees and caused the two of them to freeze. Kendrick turned to see what caused the noise and then stood up to get a better look.

"Shit," Faolan whispered as he rose to stand next to Kendrick.

"Language, young one," Finnegan rebuked, but he was also focused on the trees. He took his glasses off, cleaned them up a bit, and placed them back on the bridge of his nose. Rather than taking off one branch with a crystal, Nigella managed to shave off the tops of the entire crowns of trees.

"Nye! Look at what you did!" Faolan yelled as he rushed to her side. He gave her a look and saw that she too seemed to be shocked by what happened. "Mom's going to be so upset that you did that to so many trees."

"All that are left are tree trunks," Kendrick announced as he joined them. "How are we supposed to take this test next?"

"You focus on the dumbest things, Kendrick," Faolan muttered in derision, rolling his eyes.

"Did I pass?" Nigella asked, finally taking her eyes off the trees to consider the High Seer.

"Of course, you passed!" Faolan exclaimed as he pulled her into an embrace. "How could you think otherwise?" She was still stunned by what occurred yet still manage to wrap arms around her brother as well.

"Young lady," Finnegan said as he approached the trio. "You have displayed an enormous amount of power and a decent amount of focus."

Nigella sighed as she gave Faolan a quick squeeze before moving to her side to hook his arm around her neck.

"However," Finnegan said, breaking through their revelry. Faolan dropped his arm to his side as Nigella's shoulders slumped, preparing for disappointment. "Your focus is clearly overpowered by your magic. I merely said to remove one branch, not the entire canopy."

Nigella dropped to ground in defeat. "I don't want to be stuck doing this for three more years." Realizing she said that out loud, she quickly amended her statement. "I mean, uh, I don't want to disappoint mother and father."

"What she's really saying is that we're tired of you ordering us around, Old Seer," Faolan called out. "Ah!" He let out a cry before his leg buckled due to his sister punching him in the leg. Faolan dropped to the ground, grabbing his leg as he narrowed his eyes at his sister.

"Shut up, fool," she hissed.

"To resolve your concern," Finnegan said, breaking up the kerfuffle. "I'm allowing you to move on to further your magic training. But, I will inform Their Majesties of your need to temper your power, to allow your focus to guide you. I am certain your father will appreciate the challenge that will come with this type of training."

"I told you that you would pass." Kendrick offered his hand to Nigella, pulling her up to her feet. "What about Faolan and me?" he asked. "We haven't had our turns yet. Do we need to find a different set of trees?"

"Are you not capable of keeping your mouth shut, Kendrick?" Faolan asked through gritted teeth. Faolan jumped to his feet, walking away from the group yet not before clipping Kendrick's shoulder with his own.

Before Kendrick could respond, Finnegan held out his left hand toward the cluster of trees. The fallen branches illuminated in white light as they were lift from the ground. The High Seer held his hand higher until the tree limbs were placed in their original spots. After a few seconds, the light disappeared, and any evidence of Nigella's destruction had disappeared.

"Wow," Faolan said in amazement. "When will I learn to do that?"

"Not until after you pass, genius," Nigella countered.

* * *

"Jareth, I'm busy," Sarah chided, affecting annoyance. Sitting at her desk, she tried her best to finish writing her letter while ignoring his attention. "Are you really not able to wait until I'm finished?" He stood behind her, slowly kneading her shoulders as he leaned down to kiss her on her neck.

"We're running out of time," he whispered against her ear. "Our children's magic assessment will be over soon. Whether the results are good or bad, we'll be dealing with their emotional turmoil for the rest of the day."

"I know it's hard to believe, but I'm actually doing something important," she sighed as she swatted his hands away from her breasts. "You know? Working." Sarah turned in her chair so she could face him, giving him a proper displeased glare. "Just waiting until tonight."

"You said that last night," he accused with a hint of betrayal in his voice as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Are you pouting?" she asked, trying not to laugh at him.

"A king does not pout," Jareth stated.

"Then what is this that you are doing?" Sarah asked.

"Attempting to hold a queen to her word and bond," he answered.

"Oh, please," she scoffed as she turned back around to face her desk.

Jareth walked around the desk to face Sarah and placed his hands on the surface.

"I miss you," Jareth said as he attempted to grab her chin.

"Don't be so maudlin," Sarah said as she reared away from his advances. "You're acting as though I've abandoned you on a dirty alleyway to die." She rose from her chair, grab the paper she was writing on, and walked to the door. "Stop acting like we are experiencing some sort of dry spell."

"It's been two days!" he protested.

Sarah said nothing but spared him an incredulous glare over her shoulder.

"Do not give me such a look," Jareth said as he leaned against the desk. "Is it egregious for a husband to desire the attentions of his wife?"

"Oh my god," Sarah muttered to herself as she opened the door. She handed the folded paper to the guard. "Cormac should be in the library. Please, give this to him right away." The guard bowed before leaving to fulfill her orders.

When she shut the door and turned around, she was trapped against the door, Jareth hovering over, his hands positioned on either side of her.

"Now, about keeping your promise," he muttered.

"You have selective hearing," Sarah chuckled as she pushed against his chest. "That's always been a problem of yours." However, he couldn't be moved. She kept her hands on his chest as she began to laugh against his chest. "Jareth…"

"Are you done for the day?" he asked. Knowing that she couldn't win this argument, she decided to acquiesce.

"I can be," she stated, draping her arms around his neck. Before the full sentence left her mouth, she felt herself be transport out of her office. His lips collided with hers as he picked her up, wrapping her legs around him. "Where did you take us?" Sarah asked as she kissed his neck, allowing her to peak around him. The room was dim yet felt spacious; however, she was still able to make out the various shelves and items occupying the spaces. Her movements stilled as he continued to trail kisses down her throat. "Did you bring us to the pantry? What was wrong with you?"

Jareth merely chuckled as he slowly kneaded her hips and buttocks.

"Do you think this is funny?" she hissed. "We could be caught."

"And then be thrown in a dungeon?" he mocked. "Besides, there's a two hour period when the kitchens are completely void of anyone. As of now, we have a half hour window. Now, quit sullying our moment. "

"Our moment of fucking in the storeroom?" Sarah asked. "How high-class of us."

Hoisting her against his body, he released a throaty growl. "That's the spirit."

* * *

As head of the Palace kitchens, Murray was always the first one to arrive to prepare for the day's meals. The dwarf walked through the double doors and grabbed his apron that hung at the entrance. Lifting it over his head and then tying it around his body, he readied himself for dinner preparations, looking over the meal plan he laid out after lunch. Cooking for royals was hard enough. Feeding a Palace full of people required proper scheduling.

"I wonder if I have time to change this," he said in a gravelly voice as he mulled over his plans. "I don't think them tomatoes are ripe yet."

The sound of items falling startled the dwarf as his attention was drawn to one of the pantries at the back of the kitchen. His ears weren't as good as a fae, but he managed to hear some snickering and hushed voices.

"What is wrong with you?" a female voice whispered. "I think someone walked in. It's probably Murray."

"This is all your fault," a male voice countered. "Stop tempting my baser instincts."

"You are a piece of work," she whispered.

"Nevertheless, he can't hear us," he said.

"How do you know?"

"He's a dwarf."

A moment of silence filled the air.

"He's a dwarf, not deaf," she spat, any semblance of secrecy was gone. "How do those two things go together in your mind?"

Murray thought briefly to say something- although he didn't know what he would say- to the two royals. Even though it was merely whispers, Murray knew their voices from anywhere.

"I think we should just leave," Sarah whispered.

"Would it not be more entertaining to simply walk out," Jareth said. Murray didn't possess much magical ability, but he was still able to notice the absence of Sarah's magic.

"She left me here?" Jareth hissed. "How insolent." Suddenly, Murray noticed the lack of Jareth's magic as well.

The dwarf chuckled as he walked over to the stoves. "May they never change."

* * *

Nigella and Faolan stood in front of their parents' sitting room door, trying their best to decipher whether their parents were inside.

"I can't tell if they're in there," Nigella said as her hand pressed against the door.

"You may be great at magic, but you're not a savant," he snorted. "We haven't learned how to decipher their magic from the magic around us."

"I could at least give it a try," she shrugged as her hand went back to her side.

"You want to try out something new, but we have news to tell them," he said as he knocked on the door. "They have to be here; they weren't in mom's office."

"You do realize there are more than two rooms in this Palace, right?" Nigella smirked.

"You know what I mean," Faolan said. They both went quiet as they heard an odd rustling inside.

"Enter," they heard their father called out.

Faolan turned the knob and then they both walked into the room. The twins stood just inside the room as they quickly noticed something was off. Their father was standing alone in the middle of the room and was acting odd, like he was covering up some sort of secret.

"What's happening?" Nigella asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Did you two have your alone time?" Faolan accused. "It's the middle of the day, you know."

"Remind me to hand you my planner," Jareth said as he walked over to his children. "Sounds as though you know the best way to strategize my days."

"Always willing to help, Dad," Faolan said with a wide grin. Jareth stopped in front of them and then got down on one knee. They have grown tall enough now that he has to tilt is head up a little to look at them from that particular angle.

"Do you have good news for me?" he asked. "Or did you two decide to come here only to judge how I spend my days?"

"Can we do both?" Nigella asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Stop delaying," Jareth said, becoming serious. "Tell me the news."

"Faolan passed-easily," she reported with pride. "Even though he tried to hide it, he was nervous but didn't let it get to him."

"Did you actually start off with that?" Faolan asked, giving her an incredulous look before turning to his father. "Nye pretty much decapitated a bunch of trees- all at once." The young fae's eyes went wide as he told the story. "A huge boom went off that caused the ground to shake!"

"It's not that big of a deal, Faolan," she demurred. "Plus, that wasn't something to be proud of. I was told I need to work on my focus."

"How many branches were you told to knock down?" Jareth asked.

"One," the twins answered at the same time.

"Shit," Jareth muttered under his breath. "Yet you passed?"

She nodded her head as he brother vocally answered. "Of course, she did. It was amazing. I think she stunned the High Seer."

Jareth smiled at both his children as he rose to his feet. He brought each hand underneath the twin's chins and tilted their attention up to him.

"You make me proud every day," he told them as they both grinned ear to ear.

"We have to tell mom," she stated.

"Yeah," Faolan agreed, crossing his arms over his chest, expressing mock anger. "Where are you hiding our mother?" Jareth laughed as he too crossed his arms over his chest, mimicking his son's posturing.

"I've hidden her away, and you shall never find her," Jareth said in an ominous tone.

"You two are weird," Nigella groused. As if on cue, the bedchamber door open and Sarah, enrobed in her dressing gown, walked into the sitting room. Nigella ran over to her mother, leaving the crazy boys to themselves. "Mommy! You've come to save me from them."

Sarah laughed as she opened her arms, allowing Nigella to fall into her. She wasn't able to pick up her daughter anymore, not without magic anyway, but Sarah was always a constant refuge for her daughter whenever Nigella was stuck with her brother and father for an extended length of time.

"They're being strange again," Nigella said as she nestled her head into Sarah's stomach.

"You keep forgetting: they're always strange," Sarah stated as she observed her son and husband partaking in their customary stare downs. "Why do you two continually do that?"

"One day," Faolan promised, still glaring up at his father. "Dad's going to blink, and I'm going to win."

"Ah, the delusions of youth," Jareth scoffed. Sarah blinked a few times and then realized that neither was going to back down until one of them lost. The loser of the match will probably be Faolan, as it always was. She sighed as she guided her daughter to the sofa. Sarah sat on the couch, yet Nigella stood standing as she smiled down at her mother.

"By the look on your face, I assume you have good news," Sarah said, finding her daughter's smile infectious. Nigella reached into the pocket of her riding trousers and pulled out two sealed envelopes before handing them to her mother. Raising an eyebrow at the envelopes, she grabbed them from Nigella and opened them immediately. Her look of concern slowly changed into a large smile as she read the letters.

"Congratulations," Sarah said as she turned her attention back to Nigella. "But it appears as though you have a lot of work to do." She then looked beyond Nigella to glare at the Jareth's back. "I'm sure your father will start helping you immediately once he stops playing games."

"Hey! I passed also!" Faolan cried out while still staring at Jareth. "Did you read what it said about me?"

"Ah! You blinked," Jareth proclaimed as he clapped his hands together in triumph.

"What! No, I didn't," Faolan refuted.

"You're blinking now," Nigella said over her shoulder.

Faolan sputtered for a few seconds as he turned his ire to his sister. "No one was talking to you!"

"Don't," Jareth said calmly as he seized Faolan's chin to garner his attention. "If you don't watch your mouth, you'll turn a day of celebration into something different entirely."

Faolan let out a huff as he took a step back. Looking at his sister, he said, "Sorry, Nye." She gave him a small smile as she sat down next to her mother.

"It's okay, butthead," she said, causing Faolan to chuckle.

"I did not see these letters," Jareth said as he walked over to the sofa. "I heard I've been given work to do."

"Nigella lacks some focus, and Faolan shows signs of Unseelie magic becoming dominated," Sarah said, handing him the letter. "That's the High Seer's guess anyway."

"Unseelie magic doesn't _dominate_ anything," he said as he read over the letter written about Faolan. Finnegan made a point to explain that while Faolan was able to knock down the branch, the young fae's power was lacking and seemed to have trouble forming a crystal- which had never been a problem before. When Faolan finally formed a crystal, the orb was coral with specks of purple inside. After he finished reading the assessment, Jareth then turned to his son who hadn't moved from his original spot. "Is there a reason why you prefer Unseelie magic to Seelie?"

"Uh…" Faolan muttered, not really understanding the question.

"It's simply easier for him to access it," Nigella answered. She looked to her brother before turning to her father. "We didn't think it was a big enough deal to bring it up."

"Is it a big deal?" Sarah asked Jareth.

"No," he responded, shaking his head. "Just something to keep in mind."

"Good. Now, we can celebrate," Sarah said.

"Yes!" Faolan said, throwing his arms in the air. "What do we get to do? Pizza?"

"Murray isn't planning pizza for dinner," Sarah said.

"How do you know?" he asked. "Murray could surprise us."

"Yes, Sarah," Jareth said. "You know the kitchens are full of surprises."

A deep blush rose in Sarah's cheeks as her green eyes pinned Jareth in a glare as she growled between clenched teeth. "Shut. Up."

* * *

"So, how long of a break do we get before we have before you start teaching us, Dad?" Faolan asked as he took a big scoop of ice cream out of his bowl. "After our birthday?"

Since it was the middle of the day, it was too early for dinner. But that didn't mean the twins couldn't have a snack- even if it might ruin their appetite later. They were all celebrating after all; that's what justified this event in Sarah's mind.

"As soon as possible," Jareth said as he casually reached over to take some of Sarah's ice cream, even though he had enough of his own. Sarah nearly bit his head off for his actions, but the outrage came from the children.

"What?" Nigella asked as she dropped her spoon in the bowl.

"Yeah, what's with that?" Faolan asked. "You said we would get a few months off from all studies."

"That was before I read what the High Seer said," he explained. "The soon you surpass these issues, the easier everything will come to you." Jareth attempted to steal more of Sarah' ice cream, but she was quicker this time. She snatched the spoon from his hand and placed it on the other side of her, the furthest away from him.

Jareth appeared genuinely upset and confused. "Why did you take my utensil away?"

"Why are you eating my ice cream?"

"You were eating it so slowly," he said with a shrug. "I assumed you didn't want it."

"That is excuse is ridiculous, and you know it," she said, handing his spoon back to him. However, she moved her bowl further away from him, making her sit in her chair at an odd angle.

"Now, who's being ridiculous?" Jareth scoffed as he returned to his own bowl.

"Excuse me?" Nigella piped up, raising her hand in the air, trying to grab their attention. "May we go back to how Daddy is stealing our holiday time away?"

"I didn't steal anything since it was never truly yours," he quipped. "None of this was promise."

The twins pouted as they stared into their bowls, their ice cream forgotten; quickly remembering that he was right: he only proposed they have an extended period away from their studies.

Sarah leaned over to him. "I have an idea."

"Does it involve you giving me your ice cream?" Jareth asked.

Having enough of his dairy-stealing nonsense, she turned to her children. "As much as it sucks now, you will be grateful in a year's time that he made you go through this. However, I think we can make some accommodations. Maybe more breaks than you had with the High Seer. How's that sound?"

"Can we go visit Uncle Toby?" Faolan blurted out. At this outburst, Nigella slowly turned her head to her brother, pure frustration radiated off her.

"What are you doing? We had a plan on how to approach them about that," she said though clenched teeth. "You just ruined it."

"I'm improvising," Faolan demurred. "Mom might still go for it; she feels sorry for us. I don't think dad does though."

"A little piece of advice for the two of you," Jareth said, pointing his spoon at them. "Don't announce your strategy in front of the opposing party. Now, what exactly do you want? Something involving Toby?"

"We wanted to ask you if we all could go visit Uncle Toby for our birthday," Nigella said. "He never visits since he went to that university place."

"I must say that is a peculiar birthday request," Sarah remarked.

"Dad once said that we could travel Aboveground once we were older," Faolan said. "It's been a few years, and we're not as brash like we once were- I think. We really want to see what it's like, and we miss Uncle Toby."

"All right," she said with a shrug. "I don't see why not."

"Sarah," Jareth said, not liking the idea.

"They'll behave," Sarah said before turning to the children. "Right?" The twins nodded in unison. "Besides, they'll enjoy New York in the winter." Jareth raised a suspicious brow as he gave them a wary stare.

"If you two cause any sort of disturbance or defy me in anyway-"

"No! We'll be good!" they said in unison.

"…I'll bring you both back here immediately," Jareth warned. "And I'm ordering you both to follow through on your lessons with me. Only when you complete them to my satisfaction will you be able to go Aboveground."

Nigella and Faolan gawked at their father before turning their pleading eyes to their mother.

"Don't look at me," Sarah said as she placed her spoon in her bowl. "Sounds reasonable enough."

The twins' shoulders slumped as they silently admitted defeat. They learned early in life that they couldn't split up either parent once one made a decision.

"Um, I have something else to ask," Nigella said, causing Faolan to look at her odd. He was confused. They hadn't discussed anything beyond what was already brought up.

"Yes, darling," Jareth said, curious as to what she could ask that caught her brother off guard.

"May we invite someone?"

Jareth smirked at his daughter. "Already making plans?" he asked. "Actually think you'll meet my specifications for your training?"

Faolan slammed his hand on table, startling everyone. "Make no mistake. We'll surpass them."

* * *

Kendrick appeared in the Pixie Castle's foyer with his caretaker, Sima, by his side.

"Thank you, Sima," he said as he began walking up the main staircase.

"I always tell you that there no reason to thank me, Lord Kendrick," she said, shaking her head. "I'm merely doing what is asked of me." He stopped halfway up the left staircase and turned around to face her, giving her a half smile.

"Doesn't mean I shouldn't be grateful," Kendrick said. The stillness in the entrance hall quickly came to an end.

"Kendrick!" Kalin's voice yelled, ringing throughout the halls. The sounds of her feet rushing down the hall filled the air. Kalin ran out to the landing and looked over the railing down to see Sima standing in the foyer.

"I'm over here, mother," he said. Kalin strolled down the stairs to meet him before wrapping her arms around him, nearly crushing him in her embrace. A moment later, Taggert walked out of the hallway she previously exited.

"She's been near hysterics, wondering how everything went," Taggert said as he leaned against the stair post.

"Stop lying about me to our son," she snapped before loosening her hold on Kendrick. Kalin held his head in her hands as she placed a kiss on his forehead.

"How did you do?"Taggert asked, simultaneously amused by the affection Kalin was imposing on their son and Kendrick's near stoic tolerance of her actions. Whether he was gone for the day or an hour, Kalin greeted her son in the same manner every day.

"He passed. Of course, he passed," Kalin said as she carefully combed his dark tan curls with her fingers. "Tell your father that you passed."

Kendrick smirked as he leaned to the side as his warm brown eyes regarded his father. "I passed." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a paper. Leaving his mother's attention, he walked up the rest of the stairway and handed his father a sealed envelope. Taggert gave his son a dubious look before accepting the letter. "The High Seer said he wrote down some issues I might deal with as I get older. He's still convinced that my centaur magic won't stay dormant for long."

"That was to be expected," Taggert muttered as he read the letter. "I'll deal with it when it arises."

Kendrick looked up at his father and gave him a confused look. "I thought- I thought I was going to have a magic teacher."

Taggert scoffed. "You're looking at him."

Kalin walked passed both of them. "You could do worse, dear, but you could also do better. Oh well." Taggert nearly voice his disgruntled rebuttal of her words but kept his mouth shout when she wrapped her arms around his torso, pressing her body against his bacl.

"Regardless," he said, clearing his throat. "It's centaur tradition for a son to learn from his father. Finnegan laid the groundwork, but I always planned to teach you."

"Ah!" Kalin exclaimed, poking her head around Taggert's torso. "Aren't you excited?"

"Yes, I am, mother," he answered calmly with a nod of his head and a simple smile.

"Ugh, I thought your father was mild mannered, but then I gave birth to you," Kalin complained. His mother's grumbling made him laugh, knowing that his composure mildly annoyed her. She always tried to illicit grand emotions from her son. While he was never enigmatic with his feelings, he didn't share his mother's love for the flamboyant.

Kalin moved away from her husband to Kendrick to kiss him on the forehead. "I'll have tea ready in the garden. Come join me as soon as possible," she ordered.

"Yes, mother," he said as he watched her disappear. When she was gone, Kendrick turned to his father. "Am I really boring or is mother teasing me again?"

Taggert sighed as he wrapped an arm around his son's shoulder, guiding him to the royal suites of the castle. "She never called you boring," he stated as they walked together. "She and I find you fascinating in the most unusual way."

"That means I'm weird, I guess," Kendrick stated. He went quiet for a moment. "Faolan says as much all the time… and Nigella… she always ignores me."

They finally came to a halt in front of the door to Kendrick's room. Taggert opened the door and ushered him in before following behind. Kendrick walked to the other side of the room where his bed was situated before laying down on the mattress. Taggert crossed his arms over his chest as he slowly walked the expanse of the room to stand next to his son.

"You have the pleasure of having your mother as the primary example of the fae in your life," he said. "Of course, your mother will be affectionate toward you. However, Faolan and Nigella are very much their parents' children."

"Are you disparaging the Queen of the Seelies?" Kendrick asked as he sat up in his bed. "And King of the Goblins?"

"Do you believe Nigella and Faolan are worthy of being disparaged?"Taggert countered.

"Well, no," Kendrick answered confused. "Maybe Faolan at times."

"Anyone who holds the position of royalty in this Court will always be a bit guarded," Taggert said as he sat next to his son. "But Sarah and Jareth… well, let's just say that I'm not surprised their quirks have been rooted firmly in their children."

"I guess that makes sense," Kendrick said. "You would know their parents better than me."

"Want me to tell you a secret?" Taggert asked. His son only nodded in response. "It wasn't our idea to have you train with the twin and the High Seer. According to Jareth, his children wanted you there. They thought it would be boring if they had to deal with each other all day."

"I don't believe you," Kendrick said shaking his head. "You're just trying to make me feel better."

"I have no interest in lying to my only child," he said. "But it is true: I told you that to make you feel better, yet that doesn't mean that it's not true."

Suddenly, the duo jumped as a knock on the door startled them.

"Come in," Kendrick called out. A human servant opened the door and walked toward the two of them as he held out something in his hand.

"This just came from the Palace," he said as Taggert reached out for the parcel. "The messenger said it was urgent. It's addressed to Prince Kendrick."

"Thank you; you're dismissed," Taggert said. Once the servant left, he handed the dense envelope to his son. "I believe this is for you."

Kendrick took the envelope and noticed the official Seelie Court's wax seal on one side and the elaborate cursive handwriting on the other side.

"This looks like Nigella's handwriting," he noticed, feeling a rush of excitement.

"Seems as though you'll never find out by staring at the seal," Taggert said as he stood up from the bed.

Forgetting any decorum, he ripped into the envelope to reveal thick linen paper that was carefully folded. He clutched the paper in his hands as he scrupulously read the letter, his face breaking out into a grin which only grew bigger as he continued to read. Ensuring that he didn't misread anything, he read the letter again.

"Come on now," Taggert said, smiling at his son's happiness. "You have me waiting here."

"Nigella said that she and Faolan are going Aboveground for their birthday." Kendrick peered up from the letter, his grin still firmly in place. "She's inviting me to join them."

Taggert laughed as he walked to the door.

"What about this do you find humorous?" Kendrick asked.

"I will enjoy seeing you convince your mother to let you go," Taggert admitted. "Let's join your mother for tea. You can start your groveling there."

* * *

"No," Kalin simply said as she set her cup of tea down on its saucer.

Kendrick pleaded. "But mother!"

"Sarah and Jareth have their reasons to go Aboveground with their children," Kalin said as she dipped a biscuit into her tea. "You have none whatsoever. Why would I put you in such a needless situation? And Aboveground is dirty, and it smells. It's a repugnant place. I'm actually doing you a favor."

Kendrick gawked at his mother before turning a beseeching look to Taggert.

Taggert let out a low groan as he sat up straight. He knew Kalin would originally object, but he didn't count on her being so harsh and emphatic in her decision.

"You have yet to clean up after your arrival," he told his son. "Go clean up." Kendrick opened his mouth to object but was swiftly silence by his father. "Don't argue. Go." His son sluggishly stood from his chair and left the area without another word.

As soon as their son left, Kalin continued to put her foot down. "I know what you are doing, and my answer is and will always be no."

"I'm not going to fight you about this," Taggert calmly said as he rose to his feet. "However, I believe you should consider how much this means to your son as opposed to how much you wish to keep him in a castle."

Kalin slumped in the chair as she shook her head in wariness. "I don't keep him in this castle. He goes to the Palace, goes hiking with you in that horrid forest," she countered. "I don't restrict him. He's free to go about the Seelie Court with a Sima. I won't let you turn me into the bad guy."

"I never meant to make it sound as though I'm turning you into the bad guy," Taggert said as he walked toward the door. "Yet, I implore you to give this more thought. Possibly talk to Sarah."

Kalin stared up at the sky as she released a groan. "Fine. We can go talk to Sarah," she conceded. "But I don't see the big deal. It's just Aboveground. I don't see why he can't wait a few years."

"Kendrick doesn't care about the Aboveground," he said, opening the door to leave. "He merely doesn't want to be left out."

* * *

"Please stop pacing," Sarah groaned as she rubbed her temples.

"Not until they get here," Jareth snapped. "Those two dare to call a meeting with us, yet they are late. Could they not wait until tomorrow? You should enforce office hours."

"Like a professor at college?" she snorted. Jareth turned to her as he looked confused.

"What?"

"I'm referring to- never mind," Sarah muttered.

During their family evening meal, Cormac delivered a message to the two of them that Kalin requested an urgent meeting with them as soon as possible. They didn't rush dinner or their nightly routine with their children. However, they sent a message stating that, once the twins went to sleep, they would discuss whatever it was that Kalin found so important.

"I hope she brings wine," Sarah opined as she snuggled against the cushions of the couch. "If I'm going to be up this late, I want to be drinking something."

"Never let it be said that you don't have high ideals, Precious," Jareth remarked. Knocking on the door stopped Jareth from saying anything more to her. "Enter," he ordered as he sat on the sofa next to Sarah. "You should have been here over half an hour ago."

The door opened to reveal a contrite Taggert as he moved to the side to allow Kalin to walk in first. When she entered the room, she noticed Jareth's annoyed expression.

"Why are you giving me that look?" she asked. "We're not _that_ late."

"What was so important that you need to talk now?" Sarah asked, ignoring Jareth's objections.

"This is regarding the lovely invitation our son received," Taggert said as he ushered Kalin to a pair of chairs situated across from where Sarah and Jareth were seated.

"A simple yes or no could not suffice?" Jareth argued.

"Kalin doesn't want him to go," Taggert stated.

"Then he won't go," Sarah said, becoming just as annoyed as Jareth is. Why Kalin had to make everything an issue, she would never understand.

"However, Kendrick wishes to go with all of you," Taggert explained. "I would normally default to Kalin's wishes however-"

"Kendrick does not think that the twins hate him," Kalin interrupted. "He is simply a sensitive child. He thinks he picks up emotions that aren't there."

"If he didn't feel that way, he wouldn't have told me as much," Taggert countered. "He's not one to speak without purpose."

Jareth released an exhausted sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Conversely, Sarah leaned up to stare at the ceiling before returning her attention to her two friends.

"Faolan is extremely confrontational, and Nigella sometimes spends too much time in her head and doesn't consider those around her," Sarah stated. "Maybe it's a twin thing or the fact that they are around each other all the time, but I understand why someone such as Kendrick would feel excluded. However, they don't dislike him. Nigella was the one who invited him, and we would like him to come."

"But Aboveground is disgusting," Kalin groused.

"Yes, it is," Sarah admitted, nodding her head. "Especially New York City."

"If you are concerned about not being with him," Jareth smirked. "You are free to accompany us."

The frown on Kalin's face morphed to pure repugnance. "I would rather not. Thank you."

"Then what would make you feel comfortable so he can go?" Sarah asked. "I wish you too would have spoken with me sooner. I never knew Kendrick felt this way. I'd hate for him to feel left out more than he thinks he already is."

"I don't know," Kalin admitted. She dropped her head to look at her hands in her lap. "I don't wish for him to feel this way either. Neither one of us knew he felt this way until Kendrick talked to Taggert earlier today. That child is too quiet."

"If you let him join us," Jareth said. "We promise we'll misplace him no more than six times."

Both Kalin and Taggert's heads turned to glare at the Goblin King as he chuckled to himself.

"Jareth," Sarah groaned as she raked her fingers through her hair. "If you're not going to help, you should keep those quips to yourself."

"Is Maia going with you?" Kalin asked.

"No," Sarah answered- although it came out more of a question. "We weren't planning on it. Should we?"

"Sima will escort Kendrick while he's Aboveground," Kalin emphatically demanded. She sat up straight as she laid out her demands. "And she'll be by his side at all times. She's not used to sending magic between worlds, but I want to ensure that she sends daily reports to me while he's away."

Jareth and Sarah looked at each other before turning to Kalin and both giving her a shrug.

"Okay," they said.

"Oh," Kalin said as she slumped a little. "I thought there would be more push back."

"We'll agree to anything so you'll be happy and swiftly leave so we can go to sleep," Jareth admitted.

"Wh- Well, that's rude," Kalin said. Taggert stood up and held out his hand to his wife.

"Since we are a few months away from this excursion, I'm sure we can iron out details later," he said. "At least, we'll be able to give Kendrick some good news in the morning."

"Next time, decide to bother us earlier in the day," Jareth said as he rose to his feet.

"Why? Missed your bedtime, old man?" Taggert joked. "Those twins are wearing you down more than I thought."

Jareth sneered. "Get out of my sight, Roan."

 

 


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story note: This is quite long and split into two parts.
> 
> I hope there isn't any confusion. Enjoy!

_Part A_

_But forever's gone away  
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday_

* * *

"Do you think we'll be able to ride a pookah?" Faolan asked as he threw some of his clothes into bag, not bothering to fold them.

"Sure, and then they'll carry you off to their lair and murder you," she said as she sat on his bed, cringing at his unorthodox ways.

"Have I mentioned how much fun you are?" Faolan groused while throwing a shirt he didn't want onto the floor.

"I'd rather keep you alive than be fun," Nigella stated.

"Pretty sure Uncle told us that not all pookahs are dangerous," he said.

"True, but do you really want to find out?" she countered.

"Not really," Faolan admitted as he gave one final push into his bag to make everything fit. There was a knock on the door before it opened and their mother stepped inside.

"Are you finally packed?" Sarah asked as she walked into Faolan's room. She gave the room a quick inspection before turning an annoyed glare at her son. Clothes caked in sweat and dirt were scattered all over the floor. His desk was covered in paper with old cups and saucers placed on top. The only thing that was spotless and neat was his bed which Nigella sat on. Sarah briefly considered the possibility that Nigella probably made his bed for him. "Clean up your room or you won't be going anywhere. We're in the Palace not the throne room of the Goblin castle."

"Ha. Ha," Nigella mocked, sticking her tongue at her brother. "I told you mom would be mad."

"You told me _dad_ would be mad," Faolan corrected.

"Your father will be furious if he saw the state of this room," Sarah pointed out. "Clean up, now. And try to remember that you're not supposed to live in a pigsty. Come with me, Nigella. Your brother has a lot of work to do before you both leave."

Nigella hopped off the bed and strolled by her brother. "Have fun," she said before walking out the door.

"Ugh!" Faolan groaned in frustration as he dropped to the floor.

"You have an hour, maybe two, before Lochlan shows up," Sarah warned him. "So hurry up."

Sarah shut the door leaving her son to his task before turning to her daughter.

"Where's your bag?" she asked.

"In my room," Nigella answered. "Would you like to inspect it as well?"

"No," Sarah chuckled. "When you're ready, grab your brother and meet me in my office."

"All right," she said. However, before Sarah could turn to walk away, she felt her daughter's arms around her waist. She was taken aback before returning the gesture.

"What is this for?" Sarah asked.

"I'm going to miss you," Nigella confessed. "Dad, too-I guess."

Sarah laughed at the addition at the end. "You guys will only be gone for a week."

"I know," Nigella sighed as she released her mother. "But we've never been gone more than a few hours without seeing you and father. It will be peculiar; that's all."

* * *

Faolan groaned as he sunk in his chair. "Wasn't he supposed to be here hours ago?"

Nigella looked out the window with a frown on her face. "The sky is about to turn dusk."

"Pay attention, Nigella," Jareth order. "Draw a card."

After waiting for an hour in Sarah's office, Lochlan failed to appear as he said he would. Since Sarah still had commitments for the day, Jareth ushered the twins to a nearby drawing room. Deciding to take his children's minds off of their uncle's tardiness and his own aggravation of the situation, Jareth decided to play a card game with his children. After an hour though, they still asked where their uncle was.

She reached over to pick up a card to add to the ones she already had. "Is he allergic to being on time?" she asked as she scrutinized her new addition.

"Unfortunately, it seems so," Jareth mused as he attempted to peak at his son's cards.

"Faolan, pay attention," Nigella said. "Father's cheating."

"What?" Jareth asked, feigning innocence.

"Hey! Out of order!" Faolan yelled. "No cheating!" His raucous outburst caused his sister to laugh.

Jareth covered his mouth in disbelief. "How dare you accuse me of such a hurtful offense?"

The smile on Nigella's lips died as she placed her cards down on the table. "Daddy," she said softly. "You should stop wearing gloves." Faolan's eyes went wide for a moment before ducking his head to fixate on his hand of cards. For the past six or so years, Nigella and Faolan persisted in the wondering why their father covered his hands. Even at a young age, they noticed that no matter the occasion, gloves were always a part of his daily wear. Fed up with the questions, Sarah demanded that Jareth tell them why, much to his chagrin. He knew that they day would come- he just didn't expect it so soon.

Jareth cleared his throat as he put down one of his cards. "Is that so?" he responded as he stared into his daughter's eyes. "Do they bother you?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "It's up to you."

"Of course, it's up to me," Jareth replied. "However, I asked you a question."

"I know why you did it," Nigella said. "But…you don't have to do it anymore. Didn't you tell us that all everything is okay now?"

Placing his cards on the table, Jareth sighed as he considered his hands and the gloves that covered them. "Whether I enjoy wearing them or not, it's difficult for anyone to change his practices." He quickly removed his gloves and placed them next to him. "No promises, but I'll do my best to discharge of these when I'm around you both. How do you feel about that?"

Nigella smiled at Faolan and he smiled back. She turned to her father and gave him a nod. "All right," she conceded. "Deal."

Suddenly, the door banged open with Lochlan strolling in, nonchalantly.

"Ah, seems I've found you," he said walking over to the trio.

"As always," Jareth sneered. "You are unaffected by your poor choice of action."

"Well, I would have been here a few minutes soon," Lochlan stated. "However, I made the unfortunate mistake of stopping in your lovely wife's office- as though yelling at me helps anything."

"She yelled at you because you're late," Nigella said.

"Always so poignant with your observations, my dear," Lochlan stated with a grin. Jareth stood up and walked toward his brother, an unamused glare on his face.

"Ignorant of time as always," he said as his children scrambled to grab their bags.

"Instead of being angry, you should be thanking me for all this parent bonding time that I see you all have been partaking in," Lochlan smirked. He looked down and noticed Jareth's bare hands. "That's always an interesting sight." Rolling his eyes to the side, he took a step back from his brother.

"Have fun with your Uncle, children," Jareth said. "Do give him a difficult time."

* * *

The trio appeared in Lochlan's office, the first time the twins have ever been in there.

"Your office is smaller and gloomy compared to mom's," Faolan remarked as he looked around. "Even father's."

"That mouth of yours still doesn't know how to keep quiet, does it?" Lochlan said. Nigella said nothing except for a small sigh.

"Sorry," Faolan muttered. His uncle laughed as he escorted the children to the door.

"Of all the people in your life to give you grief about your words," Lochlan said as they walked into the hallway. "I barely have a leg to stand on."

"Nigella! Faolan!" echoed the voice down the hall. The twins turned around to see Tali standing at the other end of the hall. They both dropped their bags on the ground and ran toward their aunt. Tali decided it was best to just stay where she was and have the twins meet her where she was. Nigella reached Tali first, quickly wrapping her arms around Tali's waist.

"Oh, how I missed you two," she proclaimed as she held out her arm for Faolan.

"You could visit more often," Nigella said as she pinned her blue eyes to Tali's.

Tali feigned ignorance. "Are you accusing me of neglecting you?"

"Yes," they said in agreement.

"You hear that, Lochlan?" she asked as the Unseelie King approached the group. "We've been bad."

"Fair enough. We will rectify that tomorrow," he stated. "It's already late, and you need to be shown to your rooms and go to sleep."

"It's late because you were late picking us up," Nigella pointed out as she glared at her Uncle. "We were supposed to be here five hours ago."

"Never let it be said that Faolan's the only one with the flippant tongue," Lochlan said with a chuckle.

Tali sighed as she shook her head. "I'm afraid that trait runs in the family." She grabbed both of their hands and led them down the hall. "C'mon. Let's drop off your bags and have dinner."

"Thank you!" Nigella said as a dark elf placed a plate of food in front of her. The dark elf's cold eyes never registered any gratitude as he continued to serve Faolan. Then, without saying a word, he left the room. Nigella turned her perplexed gaze to Lochlan. "What's going on?"

Lochlan smirked as Tali chuckled between bites of food.

"Unseelies don't have much use for pleasantries," he explained.

"Is that why you're so rude?" Faolan asked.

"Ha!" Tali guffawed as she turned her head to the side, avoiding eye contact with everyone else at the table. Lochlan side eyed his wife before turning to his nephew

"I've been called worse," Lochlan admitted.

"Can we guess what you were called?" Nigella asked. Tali lifted her napkin to her mouth, trying to hide her amusement.

"You were supposed to be the nicer one," Lochlan mused.

"Quieter not nicer," Faolan teased. "Ow!" He looked down to see his sister pinching his leg. "That wasn't necessary."

* * *

Tali jumped when the door to their bedroom burst open and then slammed shut.

"Those bloody hooligans," Lochlan muttered as he walked into the bedchamber. "I doubt they understand the importance of sleep."

"They're excited to have time with their uncle," Tali said as she sat in bed, resting against the headboard with a book in her lap. She said goodnight to the twins a little over three hours earlier. However, Faolan spoke up to say that he wanted Lochlan to read them a story. Tali decided to wait up for him, not thinking that he would take this long.

"I read them every book that has ever been written," he groused.

"Your hyperbole knows no limit," Tali chuckled. However, Lochlan didn't respond as he walked into their closet. After a few minutes, he walked back into the room to stand at the end of their bed. Contemplating his words, he briefly looked down at the ground before looking up to see Tali's confused eyes staring at him.

"I don't know whether I can do this," he confessed. "And I don't appreciate that level of uncertainty." Tali closed her book and placed it on the nightstand.

"I told you to not do this to yourself when they came here," she warned as she gestured for him to sit next to her. "Having Faolan and Nigella here isn't a dress rehearsal."

"How can I not treat this as such?" Lochlan asked as he got into bed with her.

"Why are you being so down on yourself?" Tali asked. "You just read to them for three hours."

"I doubt a good parent would leave his children's room by saying to leave him alone until he cared to find them tomorrow," he muttered.

Tali groaned as she dropped her head into her hand. "And I assumed you told them that?"

"I knew I wouldn't make-"

"No. You will not finish that sentence," Tali said, admonishing him. "We have time to figure all of this out, and if the time comes and we arrive at the conclusion that children are right for us-"

"You would make an excellent mother," he acknowledged quietly. "I already told you: nothing would give me more pleasure than to see with _our_ child. However, I wouldn't wish you to go about this journey on your own. I'm fretful that I'm wishing to become a person that I am not."

With a gentle hand against his cheek, Tali turned his face to look at her. "I love you. All right? And that's all that matters," she reassured him. "Now, what we are going to do is go to sleep and then enjoy the twins while they are here."

Lochlan was about to say something but was cut off by his wife. "We're going to discuss this for the next couple of days. We can discuss all this after they leave." Lochlan grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on her palm.

"No promises," he said. "But I'm sure we all can have some fun while they're here."

* * *

Nigella watched with eager curiosity as the dark fae served her a plate of breakfast in his standard stoic and resigned fashion. He walked sluggishly to the other side of the table to serve Faolan. Turning on his heels, he walked out of the dining room, leaving the twins alone with their food.

"I didn't tell him 'thank you' because I think that offends him," Nigella confessed to her brother.

Faolan chuckled as he dug into his food. "This place seems backwards," he said. "I wonder how long it took Tali to become acclimated to everything."

"Who said she has?" Nigella smirked.

"Maybe you're right," he said, stabbing a piece of food. "She did say that she rarely leaves the castle grounds." Faolan took another bite of his food. "I wonder when she's going to wake up."

"Probably not for a while considering the way she shooed us down here," Nigella said. "Didn't she say that Uncle was outside somewhere? It was hard to understand her mumbling- just like mom."

Faolan stood up from his chair and walked to the open window. He peered out and looked around the castle grounds.

"What are you doing?" Nigella asked in between chewing her food.

"There's nothing out there," he remarked.

"So?" she shrugged.

"Want to take a walk outside?" Faolan offered.

"Why would we do that?" Nigella countered.

"Aunt Tali's asleep and Uncle is- We don't even know where he is," he stated. "I guess we can go to the library, but if we wanted to spend our day reading books, we could have just stayed home."

"We might get yelled at," she said.

"We always get yelled at," he replied, his comment causing his sister to smirk.

"All right," Nigella agreed, as she continued to eat her food. Faolan walked over to his sister, grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her away from her meal.

"Great. Let's go," he said, dragging them out to the hallway.

"Hey! I wasn't finished!" she protested. "And we don't even have our jackets."

"You're always concerned with food," Faolan complained. Nigella wrestled her way out of his grip. "And we won't be out there long. There's no need for coats."

"You don't have to be so overbearing about it," Nigella groused as she grudgingly plodded next him.

"There's no point in wasting time," he said as they turned a corner. "Uncle could come back any moment."

"How do you know where you are going?" she asked. "We've only been here once."

"Certain areas are different," Faolan said as he peaked down a hallway before turning left. "But I remember some parts being similar to the Goblin Castle." They came across a lonely door located at the end of a long stretch of hallway. "You didn't notice?"

"Not really," Nigella grumbled as she pushed the door open. The daylight hit their eyes as they walked outside. However, that wasn't much of a discomfort to them. Even at mid-day, the sun wasn't elevated high in the sky in the Unseelie Kingdom, unlike the Seelie Court.

Faolan walked out onto the grounds as Nigella stood by the door.

"Are you just going to stand there?"

"Everything looks dead," she observed with a grimace. "It's just strange to see such a glaring difference between home and here." A brief gust of wind blew through causing her brown locks to fly in her face. She nearly spat her hair out of her mouth, pushing it back into place. "I told you we needed coats."

Faolan walked over to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her from the castle. "Let's go." A creaking sound emanated from the door as it shut closed. Nigella looked over her shoulder and noticed something peculiar.

"That door doesn't have a handle on the outside," she said. The door finally closed completely. "It looks like the rest of the castle."

"Huh?"

"The door," Nigella repeated. She pulled her wrist from his grip and grabbed his shoulders, turning him around to observe the walls of the castle. "It blends into the rest of the castle. Even if we found a way to get in without a handle, we won't know where it is."

Faolan merely shrugged off her concerns. "Then, we'll just find another way in."

"Do you know other ways to enter the castle?" she said through clenched teeter.

"The main entrance, of course," he answered, nonchalantly, as he turned on his heels and began walking.

Nigella pursed her lips as she willed the slew of hateful words in her head to not fill her mouth. Giving the castle one last look, she ran after her brother. No good would come if they got separated.

* * *

Lochlan appeared in their shared bedchambers just as Tali began to stir beneath the covers.

"You're still asleep?" he teased.

Tali groaned as she rolled over to her side. "You and those kids," she moaned. "All three of you need to learn that it is normal to not always wake up at the crack of dawn."

"They came here to bother you, I assume?" he said as he approached her side of the bed.

"I told them to go eat breakfast in the dining hall," Tali said, sitting up to grab her robe to drape over her shoulders. "I don't think an hour has passed yet; they should still be down there."

"Hm. Do you believe they would enjoy going to a market in one of the towns?" Lochlan asked.

"I'm pretty sure they would enjoy any new experience you showed them," she stated. "But take them to one of the dark elf towns, not fae."

"I feel like I should be insulted," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Dark elves are eccentric and weird," Tali remarked as she stood. "Dark faes are just rude. Who wants to be in a town filled with them?" She moved to the side to get around her husband. However, he hooked his arm around her waist and pushed her onto the bed.

"You've insulted me," he growled into her ear. Tali opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of a panicked scream pierced the air. They both shared horrified stares before Lochlan pushed off the bed. Transforming into his osprey form, he swiftly flew out the window.

"Shit," Tali hissed as she ran out of the room.

* * *

"Faolan! Run!" Nigella screamed as she looked behind her, checking to see that her brother was keeping pace.

Faolan huffed as he struggled to keep up with his more agile sibling. "I. Am. Trying!" He peaked over his shoulder to see a half dozen or so draugr trailing them, hunting them.

"This way!" he heard Nigella instructed as she made a sharp left, climbing over some boulders before returning to leveled ground.

"Where are we going?" he said behind her as he kept his eyes on their chasers who were still eagerly pursuing them.

"I don't know," she yelled back. "Think fast!" She noticed a narrow pit ahead and quickly jumped over it.

"Think what?" Faolan asked as he faced forward, but it was too late. Faolan released a cry as he felt the ground disappear beneath him. He grabbed onto the exposed roots, stopping his fall as his hands dug into the ground for purchase. His panicked eyes looked up to see Nigella's calm yet worried face come into view.

"I'm going to get you out," she said as she looked down at him and then up at the danger approaching them.

"How is that?" Faolan snapped.

"Just shut up and give me your hand," Nigella ordered as she stretched almost half her body down to reach his extended hand. Fingers touched but neither could grab the other's hand.

"Nye, just go," Faolan huffed out. "Go find Uncle."

"Don't be such a quitter," she grunted as she struggled to move herself down more without falling in herself. Faolan huffed as he used all the strength he had left to push himself up with one arm, allowing the other to finally connect with his sister. "Got you," she said through clenched teeth. "Hurry and try to push yourself up; I'll pull." His feet in the dirt, Faolan did as he was told, allowing her to pull him out of the pit. The twins immediately turned their attention to horde descending on them. The draugr walked slowly as they unsheathed their rusted swords as though they enjoyed deliberately stalking their prey.

"I think that was a draugr grave," Nigella said in between labored breathing.

"Me too. Let's go," Faolan jumped to his feet. When Nigella tried to do the same, she dropped to the ground, grabbing her left ankle.

"Dammit," she hissed.

Faolan reached down placed one of Nigella's arms across his shoulders as he helped her to her feet. He managed to get them nearly a hundred feet from the pit before they both collapsed on the ground. They looked on in horror as they witnessed the draugr walking over the pit as though solid ground were beneath them. Tugging on Faolan's shirt, she struggled to her feet.

"We have to keep moving," she demanded.

"We're not going to make it," he said as he stood next to her. He pushed her to move behind him, deciding not to run anymore.

Nigella became agitated and confused. "What are you-"

Enormous amounts of magic began to emanate from her brother, so much so that she took a shaky step backward.

"Stop!" he order the draugr. They continued to move forward. Faolan took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I said, stop." As though they were made frozen, the draugr ceased their movements; their swords stilled over their heads. Nigella shuffled to Faolan's side and noticed that his eyes were completely black, exactly like their uncle's.

"What did you just do?" she whispered.

A loud screech was heard above them. Before they could look up, Lochlan appeared, dressed in all black, his cloak waving in the wind and his back turned to them as he observed the motionless draugr in front of him. He glared over his left shoulder to see his nephew. Faolan, as a course of habit, grabbed onto his sister, preparing himself for a verbal thrashing. They never got into trouble with their uncle, and Faolan wasn't thrilled with the idea of finding out what that was like

Lochlan spun around to regard them both as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"We have much to discuss."

* * *

Faolan and Nigella sat next to each other on a black leather couch in a stark red drawing room. Tali knelt on the floor next to the young girl, healing her ankle. Lochlan stealthy paced in front of the twins, never making eye contact with anyone, simply staring at the ground. Nearly an hour had passed with no words shared.

"He's just like dad," Faolan whispered as he leaned over to his sister

"Shh!" Nigella hissed, giving him a hard scowl. "Then you should know better than to talk."

Tali shook her head as she released Nigella's foot. She looked up at the twins, giving them both a blank stare.

"You both are very lucky," Tali said in a stern yet serene tone. She looked behind her to see Lochlan with hand firmly clasped behind his back, nearly wearing a groove into the floor. After a few seconds passed, she returned her attention to the children. Tali reached both hands up to caress their faces. "I'm just happy you two are okay. I don't want to imagine the worst if you two had-"

"Give the three of us some space, would you?" Lochlan interrupted as he finally stopped his pacing. Tali exhaled deeply as she rose to her feet. She walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. Before she could say anything, he let out a sigh.

"No need to fret," he said as he looked over at the twins sitting motionless. "I'm not going beat them."

"Your childhood is not theirs," Tali whispered in his ear. "Remember that." And without another look, she left the room. Lochlan walked over to them, glaring down at their worried faces.

"Stand up," he ordered. The twins gave each other a confused look yet didn't move. "I believe I gave you a directive. I do hate to repeat myself." They stood up promptly, not wanting to anger him anymore. "When I was a child, any time I would get into trouble- which was often- my mother insisted that I stand, giving her authority proper respect."

Faolan opened his mouth to speak. "I-"

"Do not speak unless I tell you I'm finished talking," Lochlan snapped, his brows furrowed in irritation. "Is that understood?" In unison, they nodded their understanding of his words. Not wanting to make him upset, they both stared at their feet. He took a step back and ran his hands through his hair. He quickly absolved himself of his hair tie, allowing his long blond locks to flow free. Placing his hands on his hips, he stared up at the ceiling. "Do you realize how close I was to losing you, both of you?" He moved his head to look at each other them. "There are many events that I wish to never experience in my life. One such occurrence is to see the anguish and heartache on your parents' faces when I tell them that you were seriously injured- or worse. That would have happened if you didn't stop the draugr."

Nigella and Faolan warily raised their heads to consider their Uncle. He gazed down at them with a mixture of relief and irritation.

"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to either one of you," he confessed. Tears formed in Nigella's eyes as she began to sniffle. Forgoing his previous instructions, she fell into her Uncle, wrapping her arms around his torso as tears began to flow.

"I'm sorry, Uncle," Faolan muttered at the floor as he stood still, hands clenched together. Lochlan noticed a single tear roll down his nephew's cheek. He reached out and grabbed Faolan, giving him an embrace. Holding them both close, Lochlan released a shaky breath before placing a kiss on the top of their heads.

"Am I in trouble?" Faolan mumbled.

"Ah, was it you who instigated this adventure?" he asked, releasing them both to get a good look at them.

Faolan gave a tepid nod. "Don't punish Nigella," he confessed. "I convinced her to go out with me."

"There's no type of punishment that I could give that could surpass running for your lives and almost being killed," Lochlan stated. "But we still have much to discuss. Sit back down." They did as they were told while watching him grab a chair from the other side of the room and dragging to place it in front of them. He let out a weary sigh as he collapsed in the chair. He covered his mouth with a hand as he looked out the open window behind them.

"Your father didn't tell me that you had a strong hold of Unseelie magic," Lochlan stated.

"The old- uh- High Seer said that my Unseelie magic is dominant," Faolan stated.

"Unseelie magic doesn't _dominate_ anything," Lochlan countered.

"That's what dad said," Nigella softly said.

Lochlan stared at each twin individually for a few minutes, neither Faolan nor Nigella daring to ask what their uncle was thinking.

"And Jareth hasn't taught you yet?" he questioned, finally breaking the silence.

"We start our lessons with him when we return," Nigella explained.

"Hm," Lochlan hummed as he sat back in his chair.

Faolan bumped his sister's knee with his own to gather her attention. When she slightly turned her head to scowl him, he whispered, "What is happening?"

"What is happening," Lochlan stated. "Is that you- Faolan- have an extraordinary amount of Unseelie magic that you are already able to control. My dear Nigella, you have a considerable amount as well. However, Faolan has something very powerful inside him."

"Me? Why?" Faolan asked, confused. "Nigella is the one that's strong with magic."

"Is this because he stopped the draugr?" she asked.

"I know nothing about your sister's ability," he said. "However, you shouldn't disparage your abilities. As for the draugr, don't be fooled to think that what was done today was a simple feat."

"Anyone with Unseelie magic can't do that?" Faolan asked.

"If such a thing could be easily done," Lochlan answered with a smirk. "There wouldn't be a need for a king, would there? Controlling those creatures is one of the most difficult things to do."

"What's the most difficult?" Faolan asked.

"Controlling the sluagh."

The twins sat up in fear at the mention of the sluagh.

"I forgot about them," Faolan said. "I've never noticed them at night."

Lochlan laughed at their reaction. "You may see me as a tardy, lazy excuse for a king," he stated. "And I am all those things. However, I take my duty seriously. Never forget that."

"I guess that means you're the only one who can oversee these creatures," Nigella said.

"And your father," he stated. "And it appears Faolan can as well."

"You think I can control a sluagh?" he asked.

"Possibly," Lochlan shrugged before he stood. "But what occurred earlier today was an accident. If we attempted to do that with the sluagh, your father won't hesitate to cut my throat."

"Are you- are you going to tell them?" Nigellas asked as her pleading eyes looked up at her uncle.

"You can't tell them," Faolan insisted. "We have a trip- They'll cancel it if you tell them what we did."

"Seems as though you should have thought about that before you left the castle," Lochlan stated. Faolan and Nigella dropped their heads in defeat, seeing their future fun vacation Aboveground vanishing right before them. The sound of Lochlan's laughter caused them to jerk their heads up at him. He dropped down to one knee in front of them.

"It is in your best interest that I tell them about Faolan's magical ability," he said looking at them as he spoke. "But the details…" He shrugged his shoulders. "What's life without having a few secrets?"

Faolan gawked at his uncle before turning to his sister, unable to speak.

"So you're not going to tell mom or dad?" Nigella asked, not believing him.

"And what would be the purpose of such a thing?" Lochlan countered. "You've already had a near death experience, and if you do it again, be certain that I will be dealing with you, properly."

Nigella released an audible gulp. "Okay."

"Do you understand, Faolan?" Lochlan asked as he rose to his feet.

Faolan gave a quick nod. "Loud and clear."

* * *

"He was able to do what?" Jareth barked, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Oh shit," Sarah muttered as she dropped her head in her hands.

"Faolan was able to control a mob of draugr," Lochlan repeated with a smile on his face. "He was quite shocked as well."

"Why was he anywhere near those atrocious creatures?" he spat.

"I don't know what you mean," Lochlan shrugged. "They're bloody everywhere."

Jareth walked quickly to stand in front of his brother, daring Lochlan to challenge him.

"Don't be ambiguous when it comes to my children," Jareth snarled. "I told you-"

Sarah released a showy, frustrated sigh, effectively interrupting Jareth's potential threat.

"You two bring out the worst in each other," she stated. "Jareth, you can't see the forest for the trees."

"What?" he asked as he turned to face her.

"You focus on stupid shit," she reiterated. "I remember Lochlan saying that only you two are able to use your magic to control the draugr and the sluagh. And now he's telling you that our son is able to do it also. Our son, who only a week or so ago, was fearful that he didn't have any distinct magical abilities. This should be the object of your focus."

"Are you not the least bit interested in how he discovered this ability?" Jareth questioned, raising a suspicious brow.

"Sometimes it's better not to know," Sarah said, shaking her head. "And besides, Faolan is in his bed, asleep. He's fine."

"Listen to your better half, brother," he said with a chuckle. "You get too worried about these things. Besides, you have two children: an heir and a spare."

Emotions overcharged, Jareth charged at his brother, grabbing him by the throat to pin him to the wall.

"Did I say something uncouth?" Lochlan chocked out.

"Jareth, let him go," she said, bored with the both of them.

"How dare you speak so freely about my children," Jareth seethed, spiting in his brother's face. Ignoring his wife's words, he fumed as his now-black eyes stared into his brother's.

"I said 'enough'," Sarah firmly said. Without warning, Jareth felt himself being forcefully pulled from his brother and pushed up against the opposing wall, the air leaving his lungs as soon as he hit the barrier. Jareth turned his head to the side to see Sarah's hand stretched out in his direction.

"I never should have taught you how to do that," Jareth muttered.

"I would have learned anyway," she said, still maintaining her magical hold on him. "Now, are you willing to be an adult or no?"

"He's not worth my time," he facetiously admitted. Sarah shook her head in disbelief yet released him anyway. Jareth gave his brother a look of disdain before storming out of the drawing room.

"You go too far sometimes," Sarah scolded Lochlan as she glared over at him.

"Ah," Lochlan said, rubbing his neck. "I was only joking with him. You both know I love those progeny of yours. Are you going to throw me across the room also?"

"I can tell a bad joke when I hear it," she said as she moved to sit in a chair.

"He'll always be so… severe, won't he?" Lochlan asked as he sat opposite her.

"He will be if you continue to talk about his children being endangered by an draugr," Sarah muttered, giving him a pointed stare.

Lochlan let out a small chuckle. "I'll admit that wasn't sensible of me," he confessed. "Are you going to ask as well?"

"Nigella and Faolan are both safe and asleep in their beds," she said before taking a deep breath. "This world is a dangerous place. If they somehow got into trouble but found a way to get back to me safe and sound…" Sarah looked down at her hands in her lap before looking up at Lochlan. "That's all I care about. Let me ask you this: Did you help them out of this mess or did they do it by themselves?"

"By themselves," Lochlan answered with pride. "And when that stubborn mate of yours decided to listen, you have some things that he needs to know about Faolan."

* * *

Staring at the crystal in his hand, Jareth lounged in his throne. The throne room was in full chaos, and if Jareth was paying attention, he would have commented on the goblin that was just catapulted out of the window.

"Exceedingly fascinating," he said to himself as he turned the orb in his hand.

"Sire," Avitus said, making his way through the horde. He stopped in front of the throne and gave a swift bow. "Your Majesty. I'm here to remind you that you are holding a meeting with your governors." Avitus noticed that Jareth was still not paying him any mind. "A meeting with you governors that was supposed to begin nearly an hour ago."

"What color would you call this crystal?" Jareth asked, ignoring all of what he was told. "Dark red isn't right. Wine? Plum? I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Are you sure you're not simply hungry?" Avitus joked. "And how did you make such a peculiar crystal?"

"I didn't," he answered, still not taking his eyes away from the orb. "My son did."

"And this coloring was not always this way?"

"No, his magic always manifest itself as faintly red," Jareth stated. "Especially compared to Nigella's, it was always weak."

"But now?"

Jareth rose from his chair and walked toward the side door. He turned back to consider Avitus.

"But now, my son has finally decided to show his true power."

* * *

_Part B_

_My God, this reminds me  
Of when we were young_

* * *

"I hate budget requests," Sarah muttered as she sat back in her chair, closing her eyes in the futile hope that all these responsibilities would disappear.

"If memory serves me correct," Cormac said. "Only a few of those were deemed urgent. I'm sure you are able to finish those by today. " She let out an annoyed groan as she slowly rubbed one of her shoulders.

"All right. Let's get this over with," she sighed. A few minutes passed, allowing her to gather a nice rhythm to completing her work- until hurried knocking on the door startled her and her advisor. Sarah slowly closed her eyes before opening them again, knowing her children were on the other side.

"Enter," Sarah called out, giving Cormac a pointed look before returning to her work. The advisor stood up and made his way toward the door just as Faolan and Nigella walked in. Cormac paused in his steps as he noticed their disheveled appearance. He turned back to Sarah who also had an inquisitive look on her face.

"Well," Cormac stated as he passed the children. "It seems as though you two have stories to tell. Have a good day."

"What happened?" she asked as soon as Cormac left. Sarah wasn't sure if she should have been horrified or amused by their current state.

"You have to tell Daddy to stop," Nigella pleaded. Filled with frustration, she pulled a few small twigs out of her long hair along with a stray leaf. "He's being harsh with us."

"That old seer didn't treat us like this," Faolan grumbled as he tried to fix his shirt on properly, even though the collar was mostly gone.

"First, don't call the old seer old," Sarah said, lightly scolding him. "Second, What. Happened? Are you like this because of your magic lessons?"

"One moment, father was telling us the difference between Seelie and Unseelie magic," Nigella explained. "Then without giving us any warning, he began throwing crystals at us."

Sarah pursed her lips together, trying to suppress a smile. "And what did you do in response?"

"Ran away," the twin answered emphatically. Unable to control herself, Sarah's head dropped down to her desk as she let out a fit of laughter.

Faolan frowned as he turned to his sister. "Is she laughing at us?"

Nigella released an indignant huff. "This isn't funny."

"Yes, it is," Sarah chuckled, holding her sides, not able to gain composure. She sat up straight and wiped the tears in her eyes. "Sorry. I shouldn't laugh in front of you."

"But you're going to laugh at us when we leave?" Faolan countered, raising his brow.

"Maybe," she answered with a snort. At the annoyed and sullen appearance of her children, Sarah rubbed her forehead before pointing to the two chairs in front of her desk. "Take a seat."

"But we're muddy," Nigella said.

"That can be remedied later. Now, sit," she said as she moved her papers to the side. When she finished, she looked up to see they've taken a seat with their hands in their laps. "I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing because Jareth used that same _teaching_ technique on me. I assumed he had other methods but apparently not."

"Dad chased you, trying to pelt you with crystals?" Faolan asked, fully of disbelief.

"He wouldn't do that," Nigella added firmly. Then, she cocked her head to the side and briefly reconsidered her mother's words. "Would he?"

"Yes, he would, and he did," Sarah confirmed. "You're not supposed to run away; you're supposed to fight back. Or at least find a secure hiding place and keep perfectly still."

"That advice isn't really helpful," Nigella moaned.

"Nevertheless, that is all I have for you," she said as she leaned back in her chair. "Now, what are we going to do about you guys being in here? You promised to work as hard as you can on your magic until we go Above, and on the first day, you come running in here to me, complaining."

"We only needed a break," Faolan explained. Sarah stood from her chair and walked around her desk to lean against the front of it, looking down at your children.

"Do you really believe your father will accept that excuse?" she asked. "Or do you think he will consider this a nullification of your agreement you made to him and therefore make you stay here for your birthdays?"

Faolan lifted his finger to his mouth, in contemplation. "Umm…"

"Let's go," Nigella snapped as she grabbed her brother's arm and hauled them bother out of the chairs.

"Nye, slow down," he pleaded as he pulled against her tugging.

"We have to get back before he realizes what happened," Nigella said quickly. Sarah smirked as she returned to her chair.

"But your pulling hurts my arm," Faolan grumbled as they exited the office.

"You need to move faster!" Nigella ordered as their voices faded down the hall. "Pick up your feet! We have to see Uncle Toby."

* * *

Sarah massaged her temples in frustration. "Kalin, where are his bags?" she asked. Kalin was brushing Kendrick hair back as Taggert look on. After much persuading and hand-wringing, Kalin finally decided to allow Kendrick to accompany the royal family. Much more convincing was needed to keep Sima in the Underground. There was going to be enough to deal with having children Aboveground; Jareth didn't want to have to deal with an adult who didn't know the lay of the land.

"What bags?" she asked. "Why does he need bags?"

"For clothes. To wear," Sarah said. "Maybe something to hold onto so he won't get homesick."

"I won't get homesick, Your Majesty," Kendrick said as he gave her a smile. Sarah opened her mouth to speak when Kalin interrupted her.

"Why does he need clothes?" Kalin asked. "We all have magic."

"A coat? Nothing?" Sarah suggested.

"We're not tailors, Kalin," Jareth said.

"Well, we didn't think this would be a problem," Taggert said. "We can grab a few things before we leave."

"Forget it. We're running late," Sarah said as she approached Kendrick. "You're a bit taller than Faolan. But you can wear some of his clothes for a day while we get you some proper Aboveground clothing."

"You'll be disgusted by the entire process," Jareth said.

"It will be a new experience for me," Kendrick said as his feet shuffled in anticipation. "I'm sure it will be fun no matter what. I'm just excited. Where's Faolan and Nigel-"

Suddenly the door to the drawing room produces a large bang and the wood shook, but didn't open.

"Ow," the twins mumbled in unison.

"You were supposed to open the door," Nigella's slightly muffled voice said.

"If I opened the door then you would have beaten me into the room," Faolan countered. Jareth marched around the group to the door. Opening it, he looked down to see his children still splayed across the floor.

"What. Are . You. Doing?" he asked.

"Racing to see who could get here first," Faolan answer nonchalantly. Jareth released a low growl of displeasure as he stared down the twins. They quickly got to their feet with an apologetic look on their face.

"Sorry," Nigella spoke. "We know you don't want us running in the hallways. We're just excited." Jareth turned his head to look at his son.

"I concur with what she said," Faolan said. "Has Kendrick arrived yet?"

"Get in here," he said through clenched teeth as he opened the door wide for them to enter. Sarah rubbed her temples as she slowly shook her head. Of all the ways to annoy their father, the twins chose the number one thing he couldn't stand: running indoors.

"And, we'll deal with this later," Sarah said, heading off the pass of anything Jareth might say that could ruin this trip.

Kalin turned to her son and cupped his face. "Eat well. I heard Aboveground food is dreadful, but I believe you can manage," she said as she tucked his unruly lock behind his ears.

"Okay," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. She walked over to Kendrick grabbed his hand and brought him over to her family.

"Be careful, sweetheart," Kalin said as she waved to her son. "Everything will be fine. Just don't die!"

"Mom… what?" Kendrick asked as concerned confusion flashed across his face.

"Time to go," Jareth muttered as he formed a crystal and dropped it in front of him, causing the group to disappear.

* * *

Kendrick stepped away from the group to take in his surroundings when they appeared in the house Aboveground.

"This place seems- crowded," he remarked as he slowly turned around.

"Growing up in a castle tends to skew one's view of what is considered an average home," Jareth elucidated. "Faolan…" He turned to speak to his son but noticed that only Nigella was standing there.

"He ran upstairs," she said, preempting his question.

"Someone's excited to be here," Sarah sighed as she dropped her bag and walked into the kitchen.

"His manners are dreadful as usual," Jareth commented. "Nigella, show Kendrick to his room, please."

"All right," she stated as she turned on her heels and walked up the stairs as Kendrick quickly followed behind. Kendrick rubbed his hands in worry as his nerves hit him. He never spent much time alone with either twin, but he never felt at ease when he tried to make conversation with Nigella, not that she made conversation easy. He suddenly became very upset with Faolan for leaving the way he did. To take his mind away from anxious meanderings, he considered the dissimilarity between this place and home.

"It's not _that_ different from the Underground," she sighed as she escorted him through the hallway. "There are walls and a roof and air to breathe."

"I- uh- I didn't mean to insult your-um- home," Kendrick said in apologetic tones. "It's quite lovely. I can see why you come here oft-" His words died in his mouth as he stopped himself from running into the right side of Nigella, who was standing in front of a door. She looked over at him and gave him a smirk as her eyes squint in a knowing gaze.

"You didn't insult me," she said flatly as she turned the knob. "I was teasing you."

"Oh," Kendrick huffed out, before laughing nervously. "That's fantastic. Well, I mean, I've never known you to joke."

Nigella opened the door and took a step back. "So?" she shrugged before clasping her hands behind her back. "This is the guest room; you'll stay here. Mother and Father's room are at the opposite end of the hall. Faolan's room is there." She pointed to the other end of the hall, closest to them. Nigella turned to walk to the door opposite Kendrick's. "This is my room. If you need anything, ask anyone but Faolan. He forgets where everything is and will be of no use to you."

"What about clothes?" he asked. "Mother said I didn't need to bring anything with me."

"You should just walk outside undressed," she chuckled as she opened the door to her room.

Much to Kalin's chagrin, Centaurs, in human form, were known to care little for the societal rules to wear clothes. However, Kendrick was very much his mother's child when it came to such things.

"Do they do that Aboveground?" Kendrick sincerely asked.

"They do in certain places," she answered with a slight nod.

"Do they do it here though?"

Nigella gave him a beaming smile but turned around to walk into her room, closing the door behind her without saying another word.

Kendrick stared at the door for a moment before quickly walking down the hall and down the stairs. When he arrived at the landing, he noticed that Sarah and Jareth weren't in the living room, but he heard noises coming from a nearby room. Turning a corner, he saw them standing in the kitchen. Their conversation ceased when they saw him approaching.

"Problems already?" Jareth asked, noticing the distraught look on Kendrick's face.

"Do I have to walk around naked here- in front of others?" he emphatically asked, terror griping his voice. "I recognize how important it is to follow local custom, but I simply cannot do something like that! As your godson, you should afford me some sort of flexibility in this matter."

Jareth groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose as he leaned against the counter. Sarah released a tired sigh before looking up at the ceiling.

"Nigella!"

* * *

"All right. So, this is a kiosk, and this is how we get our ticket," Sarah explained as the children huddled around her.

"What do these buttons do?" Faolan asked in amazement as he repeatedly pushed the keypad on the side of the machine.

Sarah snatched his hand. "Stop that," she snapped.

"Five trains will have come and gone before you finish this exercise," Jareth grumbled behind the group.

"That's why we got here early," Sarah said over her shoulder. Thanks to it being the middle of the day and multiple kiosks present on the platform, she was able to explain how to get tickets from the machine and take the necessary time to answer all their questions about public transportation in this world. As expected, Faolan took up most of her time with his numerous queries.

"You changed that by just touching it. I thought humans didn't have magic."

"Why is their money made of paper?"

"How did the money come out that metal box?"

"How did a different type of paper come out?"

"Dad's right," Nigella said, staring at her brother. "We'll be here all day if you keep this up."

Sarah distributed the tickets to everyone. "These are round trip tickets. So hold onto them."

Kendrick struggled to put the paper in his jacket pocket, which was actually Faolan's pocket. Since he had no clothes of his own, Kendrick had to borrow a few clothes. Unfortunately, he was a bit larger than Faolan, making the clothes a bit snug on his frame.

"Don't worry," Jareth said as he took ticket from his godson and placed it in the intended pocket. "We'll get you more clothes once we get there."

Kendrick looked up at his godfather and gave a small smile. "Thanks."

Faolan stood next to his father, ticket clutched in his hands, shuffling his feet, barely containing his excitement. Standing next to her mother and Kendrick, Nigella looked along the platform and noticed a few people joining their wait for the upcoming train.

"Are all these people going to come with us?" Nigella asked, looking up at her mother with worry. "Will there be room for us?"

Sarah held back a laugh. There were no trains or even some type of an equivalent in the Underground. Laughing at her daughter's concern would have been a bit much.

"This train is large and can transport many people at a time," Sarah described. "This platform is at its most congested during the morning hours."

"But it's morning now," she said, not understanding.

"This is considered late morning," Sarah explained. "Most people are at work already."

The stillness of the crisp winter morning was broken by Faolan. "The train is coming!"

Jareth rested his hand on his son's shoulder. "What did I say about bringing unwanted attention on us?"

"Sorry. B-but the train is coming!" he repeated in hushed tones, grabbing on to his father's jacket. Jareth laughed as he grabbed his son's hand, preparing to board the train. Sarah moved to stand in front of everyone before leaning down to keep her words from reaching any unwanted ears.

"Remember now," she whispered. "Don't be alarmed by the feeling of lack of magic in your body. Starting now, we're going to be surrounded by iron."

"Lower than how it feels now?" Kendrick asked, not liking the idea of no magic.

"Yes," Sarah said as the train passed by them, the brakes squeaking as the train slowed down. "And don't forget to sit together."

Jareth nudged Faolan forward as the train door opened.

"You can't get on without moving forward," he smirked.

After turning around to offer apologetic looks to those waiting behind them, Sarah finally guided her group onto the train. Kendrick moved passed Nigella and Faolan as they looked around the train's cabin.

"You two need to sit in a seat instead of standing in the way," Sarah said loudly to garner her children's attention.

Kendrick sat down in a window seat and noticed that Sarah and Jareth sat behind him. The half-fae saw Nigella walking down the aisle and expected her to sit in front of him. However, he was flabbergasted when she decided to sit next to him. She had a smile on her face when she turned to him, but that soon turned into a frown.

"May I sit here?" she asked with a bit of concern in her voice.

"Yes," Kendrick quickly answered.

"Are you sure?" Nigella questioned. "You don't look like you're okay with me being here."

"Just surprised," he struggled to say. "I thought- I simply thought you would sit with Faolan."

Nigella let out a snort of disapproval. "He's too hyper. Mom said we'll be on here for over an hour. I don't want to be stuck next to him."

"Hey!" Faolan said as he looked over the back of his chair to face them.

"Why don't you sit in your chair properly?" Nigella said before sticking her tongue out at him.

"Because I don't want to," Faolan said before sticking his tongue out at her.

"Sit down, Faolan," Jareth's voice commanded. Faolan looked up to see his father giving him a pointed stare from two rows back.

Nigella snickered as Faolan turned around in his seat and sat down. He turned in his seat to regard his sister.

"At least, I get to look out the window," he hissed.

"Oh," Kendrick said as he regarded Nigella. "Would you like to sit in this seat?"

"Thanks, but I'm fine where I am," she responded. Spinning around in her seat, Nigella poked her head up to look at her parents.

"Yes?" Jareth asked as he gave his daughter a smile.

"I forgot to tell you: your hair is bizarre," Nigella remarked with a giggle.

"You're a fountain of compliments, my dear," he replied.

Sarah laughed as she tucked strand of hair behind his ear. "Bizarre doesn't necessarily mean bad."

Jareth scoffed as he turned his attention to the conductor walking down the train aisle. His blond hair was calmer than usual as it laid down flat, stopping just above his shoulders. He so far has been able to ignore this temporary style until his beloved daughter just happened say something. Sarah allowed him to have his traditional hairstyle in previous excursions Aboveground because they didn't venture far from their home in the small town. However, she persuaded him to have less eccentric hair when they ventured into the city. Neither he nor Sarah was interested in drawing more attention to their group of misfits.

"It's almost as long as Faolan's," his daughter quipped.

"Turn around and don't forget to put your ticket in the pocket at the back of the seat," Sarah ordered. "The conductor is coming." Nigella did as she was told and handed the conductor her ticket when he arrived at her and Kendrick's row.

A few minutes passed in silence as the children and Sarah were occupied with watching the winter landscape pass them by. However, Jareth continued to fuss with his hair.

"Is my appearance a bit odd?" Jareth asked.

"I already told you that your regular hairstyle isn't appropriate here," Sarah answered without taking her attention away from the snow covered hills. When she heard him let out a grunt of discontent, she turned away from the window to look at him. She chuckled softly as she witnessed him examining his now lifeless tresses. She grabbed his hand from his hair and pulled it back down to his torso "Your hair is fine. Kendrick is wearing someone else's clothes yet isn't as whiny as you."

"How do we know when to get off?" Faolan asked as he seemingly popped out of nowhere, standing next to his dad.

"It's the last stop on the line," Sarah said. "Don't worry; they'll ensure you get off the train."

"Is that where Uncle Toby is meeting us?" Nigella asked.

"The Main Concourse of Grand Central," she said with a nod. "That's what he said."

The group was the last ones to shuffle off their car of the train.

"Nigella and Faolan, don't let go of you father," Sarah stated. "Kendrick, you're with me."

"Yes, ma'am," Kendrick said as they left the train.

"I keep telling you to stop calling me that, but you keep doing it," she grumbled.

Kendrick blushed as he wrinkled his nose. "Sorry." Sarah reached down to grab his hand before looking over her shoulder to see Jareth giving her a nod to walk ahead.

The station was busy, but then again, that particular station was always busy, Sarah reminded herself. Although her instincts wanted her to push through the crowds, up the stairs, and out of that congested building, she stifled that urge by telling herself that she was basically towing three little tourists with her who had never seen this place this before, never experience the oddity that was an escalator.

"How are we moving?" Kendrick whispered as they left the train platform. He looked around him and back at Nigella and Faolan who were also stunned by this movement of the stairs.

"A machine?" Sarah tried to answer. "That's going to be my answer to a lot of your questions. I never learned how this stuff works in detail."

She continued to guide her brood through the terminal, occasionally distracted by a random outburst.

"Oh, a shop!" Faolan exclaimed.

"Tourist's trap," Sarah groused as she led them forward to their destination.

Nigella sniffed the air as they walked past a series of restaurants.

"I can't decide if this smell is good or bad," she noted as she continued to hold onto Jareth's hand.

"I can agree with that assessment," Jareth said as he followed closely behind Sarah. "This world is a myriad of confusion."

Suddenly, the shops and restaurants gave way to an expansive area with a high ceiling and people shuffling around everywhere. Sarah moved them to the side to avoid getting into the public's way as she took the time to look for Toby.

"There are a lot of people here," Nigella grumbled as she clutched onto her father's dark grey coat, surveying the many people as they walked throughout the concourse.

Jareth laughed as he looked down at his daughter. "And with places to go," he remarked.

"Sarah!" a voice cried out in the distance.

The group turned to their right, toward the voice that managed to pierce through the loud rumbling of the crowds.

"Uncle Toby!" Faolan shrieked as he made an effort to run to his uncle. Unfortunately, his plan was thwarted by the firm hand gripping his shoulder, halting his movements. The young fae looked over his shoulder to his father shaking his head at his brazen actions.

Clad in a heavy black pea jacket with a checkered blue scarf wrapped around his neck, Toby spotted Sarah and Jareth among the bustling horde of people. Much to the consternation and annoyance of the people surrounding him, Toby couldn't hold back his enthusiastic yelling when he got close enough for them to hear. He was stunned yet thrilled when his sister informed him that the twins wanted to visit him for their birthday. Regrettably, he hasn't been able to see either one of them since the summer before he left for university. A little over three years passed since he's seen them, and that has been three years too long.

"Toby!" Sarah squealed as she threw her arms around his neck, allowing him to briefly lift him off the ground. When she placed back on her feet, Sarah took a step back to see him fully. She reached a hand up to his head. "You cut your hair."

Toby chuckled. "Several times. It's easier to manage when it's cut short," he shrugged. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bouncy head of blond hair. Toby looked down to see his niece and nephew. "Hey, guys. Long time, right?" Faolan and Nigella released their father's hands and ran over to Toby, wrapping their arms around his torso- grabbing on to him tight.

"Hello, Tobias," Jareth said as he approached them.

"You know I hate when you call me that," he whined.

"Toby," Sarah said, walking to him. "You haven't met Kendrick yet, our godson."

Kendrick held out his hand toward Toby. "Pleased to meet you."

Toby nearly coughed out a laugh at the behavior he was witnessing. Compared to how Nigella and Faolan greeted him, Kendrick was essentially a full grown adult. He reached to grasp the offered hand. "Please to meet you as well, young sir," Toby teased with a head nod.

"Did you get us the rooms?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah," Toby said, rolling his eyes. "You have no idea how much of a hassle it was. You do realize that hotels aren't keen on booking expensive suites to college students, right?"

"We paid you back, didn't we?" she said, concerned over what she was hearing.

"That's not the point," he scoffed. "I had to have a two hour conversation with the hotel manager, convincing her that I wasn't planning a holiday party to trash the place."

"We shouldn't have any problem's checking in," Sarah said. "As you can see, we have children. Also, who plans a crazy thanksgiving party, full of mayhem? That holiday is for eating and passing out."

"May we talk about this in another location- say the hotel?" Jareth said, annoyed by random people hitting his shoulder as they walked by. He never could acclimate himself to the abundant rudeness of humans, let alone the noise level of such a place.

"Oh, yeah," Toby said, apologetically. "I totally forgot I paid for a taxi that's waiting outside." He walked toward the main exit as the others followed behind. He looked over his shoulder to Jareth, giving him a cheeky grin. "I'm sure you will definitely enjoy this hotel."

Jareth's face fell into a frown. "What did you do?"

* * *

"This place is atrocious," Jareth sneered. The moment the bellhop opened their door, the children gasped and ran inside while Sarah and Toby walked in, leaving Jareth by the door with the hotel employee. "The aesthetic is an affront to good taste and bastardizes everything good in this world and ours. Those who chose this design should be ashamed of themselves."

"We do have twenty four hour room service," the bellhop offered, nervously.

"I knew he'd love it," Toby snickered next to his sister.

"Move out of the way so he can do his job," Sarah said as she walked into the foyer to grab Jareth and pull him out of the hallway. Turning to the distraught worker, she said, "Sorry. It's been a long travel day. You can place the bags by the dining table."

The bellhop moved the luggage cart to the side of the door and transferred the bags inside where he was told. When he was done, he moved the cart back into the hallway and cleared his throat before speaking.

"So this is living and dining area," he began. "Over to your right is the kitchen…"

A jolt of panic ran through Sarah as she realized that he planned to give them a tour of their accommodations. She knew the kids would come back any moment and the last thing she wanted was them asking him question such as "how elevators work".

"You don't need to do that," she blurted out as he moved away from the dining room.

"But, ma'am, this suite is two stories and seventeen thousand square feet," he said trying not to be taken aback. "It's customary for an emissary of the hotel to inform you about this suite's features."

"If we have questions, we'll call," Jareth stated. He reached into his pocket and handed the man a paper bill. "Now, go away."

The bellman looked down at his hand to see that a hundred dollar bill was placed there. His eyebrows rose before he quickly made his way to the door.

"Have a Happy Thanksgiving," he said with a beaming smile before walking out the door.

"You're a shining example of social graces, Jareth," Toby joked.

"Don't say anything," Sarah told Jareth. "Will you just make sure that the kids haven't electrocuted themselves?"

Jareth walked toward the stairs. "That idea is absurd. They're undoubtedly setting the bedding on fire."

Sarah turned to face Toby and hugged him again.

"Thank you so much," she said, giving him a tight squeeze.

"No problem. It was kinda fun planning everything," he admitted. "Gave me the opportunity to put my mind on something other than school. Plus, I enjoyed knowing that Jareth would dislike this place."

Sarah gave him a disapproving look. "Did you book this place because of that reason?"

"Nah. It was one of the few places that weren't booked when you told me you were coming here and had enough room for you all," he explained. "But I got a laugh looking at the pictures of this place. I mean, I think this hotel is nice, but knowing how Jareth likes his stuff to be..."

"Yeah, this whole hotel has strong- um- modern aesthetic," she conceded.

Toby looked at the giant classic inspired dining table that appeared to be made out of marble. A simple tulip arrangement sat on the table top. "That looks nice."

"I think that table is what he meant when he said bastardize," Sarah said. "I'm pretty sure he was glaring at it from the hallway."

"Well, the flowers are nice," he shrugged. "Also, now that you're here, I can call that restaurant with delivery details. I tried to get thanksgiving sides that most people enjoy. I think they said they start the deliveries at eight in the morning. I gotta say, Sarah, you picked a crazy time to introduce this world to the kids."

One week before Thanksgiving, the city was a mad house of tourists and locals alike crowding the streets and swarming the stores. It would be this way until the New Year which was how long Sarah planned to stay, absent any trouble back home.

"I know, but they wanted this for their birthdays," she admitted as she sat on the couch. "And I'd rather drag them through the snow than the sweltering heat. When are you going back to your parents'?"

"My last final is Monday. So," he shrugged before joining her on the couch. "Maybe Wednesday. I gotta hangout with you guys."

"Don't feel rushed," Sarah said. "We'll be here for a while. I assume Jareth compensated you."

As though he heard Sarah ask the most ridiculous he's ever heard, Toby raised a brow as he smirked at her. "Yes."

"Just making sure," she mumbled.

"Oh hey, um," Toby began as he looked off to the side. "So I've been working on my final project for my seminar. It's a book, a children's book. My advisor said that it could be worthy of publishing if I work on it more after I graduate. I never thought about it until she said that, but I think I want to give it a go with getting this thing published. However, I wanted your permission first- and Jareth's. I would hate to be on his bad side if he hated this."

"Are you serious?" she asked with a large smile on her face. "What is it?"

Toby reached into his messenger bag to retrieve a black leather portfolio and handed it to her. Sarah grabbed it and quickly thumbed through the pages.

"My seminar project is to write an original work of fiction," he said. "I did the illustrations as well, and as you can see, I'm not very good at that."

"You wrote about the Underground?" Sarah asked in astonishment, still flipping through the pages.

"I thought a story about a castle full of goblins that play with chickens would be entertaining for kids," Toby explained. Sarah let out an abrupt laugh. "What?"

"Is this supposed to be Hoggle?" she asked, holding up the page in question, holding back more laughter.

"Hey, don't laugh at me," he sighed as he combed his fingers through his hair. "I already told you that they weren't anything special."

"Even the chickens appear a bit janky," Sarah teased as she squinted at the page. "You make hilarious looking chickens."

"All right," Toby muttered. "All right. I get it. Hey, could you hold off on showing Jareth this until you're about to leave? If he hates my book, he'll be here for weeks making fun of me."

"Hmm," she hummed. "That's true."

A sudden rush of feet came down the stairs. Before Sarah or Toby had the chance to see who it was, Faolan stopped in front of them with a leather-bound book in his hands.

"What is that?" she asked.

"Is it true that this place has a tradition of parading giant humanoids through the street to display themselves to the public?" he asked, his eyes showing how eager he was awaiting her answer.

"What?" Toby laughed. Sarah grabbed the folder from her son's hands.

Opening it, she realized why her son asked such a question.

"This shows all the events occurring in the city during the fall and winter season," she opened the book wide and held it up to show her brother.

"Ah! The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade," Toby said before his face scrunched in disapproval. "It's not as fun to watch it in person. It doesn't feel good to be trampled on and not being able to see over people's heads."

"They're not real, Toby," she said, trying not to laugh as she handed him the book back. "Those things are made of balloons."

"Balloons?" he asked sincerely.

"Um, like crystals but flexible and without magic," Sarah tried to explain. "I think they're made out of rubber."

"But… but they look so different," Faolan said as he opened the book again. "Crystals all look the same."

"That's the best I can do with the explanation right now," Sarah sighed. "If I can come up with a better example, I'll let you know."

Another set of quick footsteps came down the stairs. Kendrick stood next to Faolan in front of Sarah and Toby. He looked down at the ground as though he was contemplating his words.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Excuse me, but I was told to say quote tell my wife to order us some food, or I'll be forced to make her and her brother's life a living hell unquote," Kendrick quickly conveyed.

Sarah let out a snort. "I guess my own recourse is to order some food."

Toby got out his phone to look for restaurants in the area. "Nothing's better than having food delivered when you're on vacation."

* * *

Kendrick placed his clothes in the dresser drawers, the last of the three kids to put his stuff away in the spare room. He noticed Faolan grab a pillow from the closet and about to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" Kendrick asked.

Faolan turned to him and crossed his arms over his chest. "Down the stairs. I'm sleeping on the couch."

"What? Why?" Kendrick asked, a bit of panic showing in his voice.

"There are only two beds in here," he shrugged. "You can have it. Plus, it's snowing outside, and I like seeing the snow fall out of those huge windows in the living area."

"But…But," Kendrick sputtered. He gestured with his head to the bathroom. "What about Nigella?" Faolan gave Kendrick a curious look before releasing a scoff.

"If you can ignore her general demeanor, she doesn't bite," Faolan joked, shaking his head. "Well, she did bite me once, but I kinda deserved it."

"Th-that's not what I meant," he hissed.

Faolan tilted his head slightly to the side, giving Kendrick a sly grin. "What _do_ you mean?"

The bathroom door opened to reveal Nigella in her pajama set giving both of them a questioning look.

"Why are you two just standing there?" she inquired, tying her long wet hair into a bun.

"I just came here to grab a pillow," Faolan said as he turned around to leave. "Night, Nye. Good luck, Kendrick." Nigella looked at the closed door and then to Kendrick.

"Why did he say good luck?" she asked as she squint her eyes in confusion.

"It's no big deal," he mumbled as he tried to run his hand through his curls.

Nigella shrugged as she padded over to the window on the other side of the room.

"Do you mind if I keep the curtains open?" she asked as she looked out the window, down at the city streets.

"Is it because of the snow?" Kendrick asked. "You and Faolan really love that stuff, don't you?"

"Falling snow is calming event to behold," Nigella explained as she saw the few stragglers down on the sidewalk attempting to make their way on foot through the accumulating snow. "I don't know. Maybe it's because we were born on a snowy day." She spun around and pointed to the two beds in the room. "Which one do you want?"

Kendrick's mind went blank as he stared at both of them. "Umm…"

"Sooo," she began, not understanding why it was taking him a while to choose. "I'll take the one closest to the window."

"Okay, that works," he said as he pulled on his ill-fitted pajamas.

Nigella snorted. "Sorry we didn't have time to buy you clothes. I'm sure we will tomorrow."

"Better late than never," Kendrick grumbled.

* * *

The sound of banging on the door jerked Sarah out her sleep. She let out a groan but didn't move from her curled up position.

"Mom!" Faolan yelled through the door. "Dad! The balloons are on TV!"

"Be out in a minute," Sarah called back.

Jareth rolled over next to her, throwing an arm around her waist.

"Will he ever stop banging on the door?" he mumbled into her ear. "He won't shut up about that damn spectacle."

"They're all excited," she muttered as she rolled onto her back. "Can't blame them. Now that I've had to think about it, that parade is a weird as hell tradition: giant cartoon characters being dragged through the city streets? What the hell?"

Jareth reached over to place a kiss on her temple before he sat up in bed. "At least today, we don't have to walk all over this bloody metropolis. Correct?" He looked over at her, wanting verification for what he just said.

"Today is for eating and lounging around," Sarah confirmed. "I hope the food arrives soon, especially since there is no food in this hotel room."

"Mom," Nigella said through the door after giving it a quick tap. "They're starting to walk down the street."

When the two of them finally walked into the living room, they saw Nigella and Kendrick sitting on the couch. However, Faolan sat on the floor, mere inches from the oversized TV screen.

"That's not healthy," Sarah lamented as she walked into the kitchen.

"Faolan, no one wants to see the back of your head as you obstruct their view," Jareth chastised as he followed behind Sarah. Nigella left the couch and joined her parents.

"How the hell do you work this ridiculous contraption," Jareth sneered.

"Give me that," Sarah said as she grabbed the tea pod from his hand. "Nearly a week here and you haven't figured it out."

"What is wrong with a simple kettle?" he asked, moving out of her way. "Humans must make everything so needlessly complicated and incomprehensible."

"Yes, Nigella?" she said, placing the pod into the machine and ignoring Jareth's complaining.

"Is it possible for us to add another bedroom?" Nigella asked.

"This place has enough room for all of us," Sarah said, leaning against the counter. "What's wrong?"

"Kendrick seems uncomfortable this entire week," she explained. "Especially around me. I believe I upset him for some reason."

Jareth turned around to hide his reaction from his daughter, struggling to not laugh. Sarah bumped his shoulder and handed him a cup of tea to quiet his amusement.

"I'm not blaming you, but it might have something to do with rushing into men's changing room," Sarah said. Jareth release a quick guffaw before covering up his laughter with a sip of his tea.

The group's first full day Aboveground was spent finding clothes for Kendrick that Kalin couldn't be bothered to pack. While Kendrick picked out a few initial items to try on, Jareth found additional clothing for him, placing them next to the chair outside his changing room. Much to Kendrick's chagrin and everyone else's amusement, Nigella discovered some clothes for him as well. Instead of handing the clothes to her father, she simply walked into the men's changing room and into Kendrick's private compartment. His scream of horror echoed throughout the entire store and over the loud holiday music playing on the speakers. Even after her profuse apology, she still found Kendrick aloof around her. However, when she and Faolan offered to change the sleeping arrangements, Kendrick assured them that the situation was fine as is.

"I was simply trying to be helpful," Nigella said defending herself. "I walk in on Faolan all the time. He doesn't care if he's shirtless."

"Kendrick isn't your brother, darling," Jareth pointed out. Nigella squint her eyes and pursed her lips in confusion as she tilted her head up to look at her father.

"So?" she asked. "Why should I treat him worse than my brother?"

"Here," Sarah said handing her two mugs filled with hot chocolate. "One for you and one for Kendrick. And when Faolan inevitably cries foul, just send him in here for his."

"But-"

"Don't give this anymore thought, Nigella," Jareth said. "He harbors no ill will toward you. He's just- different." Nigella's face was still screwed in puzzlement but took the offered cups from her mother.

"Okay," she acquiesced quietly before leaving the kitchen.

When she left, Jareth turned his amused face to Sarah.

"Don't start," Sarah mumbled as she moved another cup to the machine.

"Come now," he scoffed. "I'm certainly not the only one chuffed by this. You find this amusing as well."

"Please, don't make things weird," she beseeched.

"This is already quite unusual," Jareth smirked, taking another sip of tea. "Our godson is enamored with our daughter, yet she's too naïve to recognize what his actions mean."

"Mom! Mom! Mom!" Faolan yelled as he walked into the kitchen. "Where's my cocoa?"

Sarah rolled her eyes as she took the cup from the machine and handed it to her son.

Faolan gave her a brilliant smile as he took the offered cup. "Thank you, mother." Then he turned on his heels and left the room which earned him an eye roll from Sarah.

"Where's our bloody food?" Jareth growled as he noticed the time.

"In a van," she answered, leaving the kitchen. "Probably on Canal street."

* * *

Sarah and her group sat in a small alcove in a bustling restaurant, enjoying afternoon tea. Not paying attention to her family, Sarah looked off to the side, noticing the ornate decorations and the peculiar statue nearby that she once knew so well. Moving her observation from the decor, she took notice of the waiters and how they were still dressed in the uniforms she remembered from those years ago- even if the patrons were not. Now, the clientele were much more casual in their appearance, which was not something she was accustomed to.

"Mother?" Nigella whispered.

"Mom?" Faolan repeated.

"Sarah," Jareth hissed as he discreetly clutched her thigh.

"Huh! What?" she said whipped her head around to stare at Jareth, shoulders tense from being startled. Her shoulders sagged as she broke out of her daze. Sarah quickly tucked her hair behind her ears as she noticed everyone at the table was looking at her. "Um, what's happening?"

"Kendrick asked you a question," Nigella stated before taking a sip of her tea.

"Oh. I'm sorry. What did you ask?" Sarah asked.

"Why do they have so much food for tea?" Kendrick asked. "Mother only has scones. However, here, there are sandwiches, scones, and sweets."

"I don't understand why you consider this a problem," Faolan muttered as he bit into his finger sandwich.

"Honestly," Sarah answered with a chuckle. "I don't know. But when I was younger, just like Faolan, I didn't question things like that."

"Learn to take situations as they are, Kendrick," Jareth said before sipping his glass of champagne. "Just sit back and enjoy this ghastly excuse of an establishment."

Sarah scoffed as she turned a little in her chair to glare at him. "What is wrong with this place? And you're supposed to wait until the end of tea to drink the alcohol."

"If that is so, then why did they serve it to me now?" he countered, raising a brow.

"Because you ordered the server to bring the bottle out immediately," Kendrick innocuously interjected.

Nigella nearly choked on her tea, caught off guard by the half-fae's comments. She struggled to laugh as she began coughing.

"Are you okay, Nigella?" Sarah asked as she started to rise out of her seat.

"I'm fine," she squeaked out, waving off concern- allowing Sarah to slowly sit back down.

"Are you certain?" Kendrick asked, worry etched across his face. He held out a fabric napkin to her which she took.

"Yeah, you're as red as this room," Faolan said, shoving another sandwich in his mouth.

"I said I am okay," she stressed, giving her brother a glare. She finally turned and took the offered napkin from Kendrick. "Thank you."

"Ah, you're welcome," he muttered as he looked at the table.

"How dare you, Kendrick," Jareth mockingly chided. "Nearly caused my daughter to pass out from laughter." When Kendrick jerked his head up, he saw Jareth giving him wink while finishing his glass. His face went bright red as he picked up his cup of tea.

"Don't be upset", Nigella said as she poured herself another cup yet noticing his flushed face. "I wasn't going to pass out. There was no need to worry."

Jareth opened his mouth, but Sarah stopped anything rash that he was about to say.

"Don't," she quietly warned. "Don't say anything more."

* * *

Faolan frowned in confusion as a throng of people walked around him. "What's the point?" he asked.

"Many years ago, the Romans decorated their homes with evergreen boughs to celebrate the solstice," Nigella answered. "The Druids did the same ritual to symbolize everlasting life. The evergreen, according to the Vikings, was a special plant of the sun god, Balder."

Faolan looked at her, giving her an odd look. "How do you know all that?"

"They're called _books_ , Faolan," she said, leveling a glare at him. "Didn't you do any reading before we came up here?"

"Nope," he answered confidently. "I wanted to be surprised."

"You didn't actually consider doing any research, did you?" Nigella countered.

"That's not the point," Faolan responded.

"All right, you two," Toby said, clasping his hands on their shoulders. "You're here to enjoy the sights, not argue over them. Right, Kendrick?" He looked over to the half-fae who stood next to Faolan.

"Yes, it's quite fascinating to see- odd yet fascinating," Kendrick stated. "Although I'm sure it's beautiful at night, it's quite lovely during the day."

Standing by a metal railing overlooking Rockefeller Plaza, the foursome observed the festive and active on goings of people shopping, tourists skating, and the giant tree looming over them all. Toby wasn't able to wrangle free from his family obligations for nearly two weeks. However, now that he arrived back to the City, Toby convinced Sarah and Jareth to let him chaperon the kids for a few hours. He was astonished to hear that Sarah had yet to take them to see the tree. A little over an hour after he arrived at the hotel, Toby shepherded the trio straight to Midtown.

"When are we going to skate?" Faolan asked as his attention focused on the skaters in the rink.

"Sure, we can do that now," Toby said.

"I don't want to do that," Nigella chimed in. "I want something to eat. I see people walking out of those doors with bags of food."

"Um, so, what do you want to do, Kendrick?" Toby asked.

"Well, watching others skate seems more enjoyable than actually doing it," he admitted. "And, I'm hungry as well."

"All right," Toby huffed out. "That makes it easy on me. Follow me, you guys."

* * *

Jareth walked into the bedroom and noticed his wife sitting on a couch. "Are you planning to stare out the window for the rest of the day?" he asked. "Have you forgotten that we're planning to meet Toby and the children in an hour?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah," Sarah said as she stood up from the couch. "I wasn't paying attention to the time."

"A few hours with your children, and you lose all aspect of time," he teased, approaching her. Jareth reached up a hand to caress her cheek before allowing his palm to snake down her neck. "You might be able to conceal these feelings of sadness that have been developing over the past several days from the Faolan and Nigella, but you can't hide this from me."

"I realize that when Toby was here I pretended as though it wasn't a big deal that I didn't take the kids to see the tree," she stated. "But it's… I have a lot of memories being there. Being here." She gestured to the window. "I didn't realize how much the city would affect me."

"Just because they wish to see the places you frequented during your youth," Jareth said. "That doesn't require that you take them. If the memories are too much-"

"No, they're not," she interrupted. "Well, sometime they are. I just feel overwhelmed, you know? Like at the tea room. I know I'll never be there again in the same way I used to. Like when Karen dragged us all there against our will after a day of shopping. Da-Robert hated that place so much. He always said it was unnecessarily pretentious."

Jareth took a step back from her, taking a moment to consider her words and ponder on the look in Sarah's eyes.

"Where is Toby's _cellphone_ number?" he mumbled to himself as he searched for the hotel notepad.

"Why?" she asked, walking behind as he left the bedroom. "There's no reason to call him. We already know where to meet him."

"You've spent the past few weeks walking around this city, haunted by your former self," Jareth said as he spotted the pad of paper on the coffee table.

"I'll be fine, Jareth, really," Sarah attempting to reassure him.

"Whether you will be or not," he said as his hand stilled over the phone. "You need more time to ride yourself of that mournful look in your eyes." He let out a sigh as he turned to give her a contrite look. "Your eyes are watering." Sarah brought a hand up to the corners of her eyes, shocked that she hadn't noticed that she was on the verge of a crying. "Allow me to call Toby."

Sarah gave him a slow nod. "All right."

* * *

Toby hung up his phone and placed it in his jacket as he skated over to the trio who were currently holding on to the wall, struggling to not fall.

"Seems you guy still don't have the hang of this," he chuckled as he stood in front of them. "And Faolan, you've spent more time on the ice than Nigella or Kendrick."

"Whatever. This is hard," Faolan grumbled.

"It wouldn't be so hard if you didn't try to grab Kendrick or my jacket," Nigella said as she finally found a way to keep her feet still.

"I'm trying not to fall," he countered.

"But don't bring us down with you," Kendrick snapped back.

"Okay. Okay," Toby said. "No need for arguing. Let's get you guys off the ice."

"When are mom and dad going to arrive?" Nigella asked as she shuffled to the exit, still holding tight to the rail.

"Yeah. About that," Toby said, slowly skating next to them. "Looks like you guys are stuck with me for a while."

"Why is that?" Faolan asked.

"That sounds like fun, Uncle Toby," Nigella said, shutting down her brother's probing. "Where should we go to next?"

"Uhhh," Toby hesitated as he looked around the plaza. "Good question."

* * *

"I swore, after that day, that I would never touch ninety-nine bananas ever again," Sarah said slowly shaking her head before biting into a slice of pizza.

"Did you happen to make any good decisions while you attended university here?" Jareth sighed. They both eschewed chairs and couches in the living room and sat on the floor, eating delivered pizza from the coffee table.

"What's the point of going to school in a city like this if you aren't going to participate in some adventures?" she asked, defending her poor youthful decisions.

"Sarah," Jareth said in a stern voice. "You leapt onto a bar, in a room filled with people, and began dancing a jig."

"Hey! I wasn't the only one. There were four of us, and it was St. Patrick's Day," Sarah trying to justify her actions.

"How does that possibly rationalize what you did?"

"The owner was so impressed that he bought us shots after," she explained with a shrug. "Jameson, I think. The first time I tried whiskey." She shivered a little at the memory as a frown marred her face. "It did not go down smooth."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Jareth asked as he leaned back against the leg of the sofa. "Up until today, you clearly made the decision to keep these misadventures of yours to yourself."

The room went quiet as Sarah vacantly stared at her half eaten food. "I don't know," she groaned while rubbing her forehead. "Maybe I finally think that someone else should know, but I can't really tell many people."

"That is true," he sighed. "You've had some peculiar life. Are you feeling any better after telling me all of this?"

"A little," Sarah stated.

"Good, now I can berate you," Jareth sneered.

"For what?"

"How dare you laugh at all my unfortunate mishaps, yet you seemed to have tallied more than your fair share of liaisons with the inebriating spirits," he scowled.

Sarah's lips curled into a smile as she tried to hold back a chuckle. "True, but I never found myself covered in garbage or laying in an abandoned field when I woke up," she reminded him. "I always found my way back to my bed, which seems to have been a legitimate problem when you were younger."

"Minor details," Jareth scoffed.

"Of course, you would say that," Sarah said. Before he could respond, Jareth tensed when the hotel phone rang next to him.

"Bloody contraption. Such a harsh sound," he spat as he reached for the receiver to answer the call. "What!"

"You're supposed to say 'hello'," Sarah muttered under her breath before biting into her nearly forgotten pizza.

"Shockingly enough, it's for you," Jareth said handing her the dreaded piece of human technology.

"Hello?" she said, taking the phone from him.

"Hey, Sarah," Toby said in a questionably upbeat manner. "How's it going?" Still able to hear Toby even through the phone, Jareth raised a curious brow at his tone.

"Why are you talking like that?" Sarah asked, furrowing her brows. "What did you do?"

"What? No!" Toby quickly replied. "What do you mean? Nothing's _wrong_. I told you that I'm great at watching kids. Hey, um, so you guys need to arrive at a different meeting place."

"The hospital?" Jareth interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest, trying not to smile.

"That's not funny," Sarah hissed.

"It's only funny because it's not true," he shrugged.

"Hey," Toby said, trying to get her attention. "So, about where you are going to meet us."

* * *

"No," Jareth simply said.

"How did you end up here?" Sarah asked.

"I have some fish in my dorm," Toby replied. "And I wanted to get some new decorations for their tank. I thought the kids would enjoy seeing a pet store. I don't remember seeing that sort of thing in the Underground."

"Because we don't participate in the odd ritual of keeping animals indoors," Jareth answered as he gave Toby a withering look.

"Hey, man," Toby said as he held up his arms in surrender. "I had no idea that a dog rescue group was going to be here. I just came in here for a fake sea anemone and this plastic submarine."

"Daddy," Nigella pouted as she looked up at her father. "Please!"

"Yeah, Daddy," Faolan joined in as his wide eyes held all the hope he could muster. "Please!"

"Daddy?" Jareth mimicked. " _Daddy_? Do you two realize how superficial your manipulations are?"

"Do you want a dog also, Kendrick?" Sarah teased.

"Um, no," he answered slowly as he looked over his shoulder. Kendrick stood next to Toby, very much removed from the situation at hand. "This entire shop is quite bizarre."

"A dog _also_?" Jareth asked, turning to Sarah with a frown etched on his face. "Sarah. You can't possibly be seriously considering this foolish proposition."

"I had a dog," she whispered to him as she shrugged her shoulders. "I loved Merlin. He was a good dog."

"Didn't you fight with Karen over it?" he countered.

"It wasn't about the dog," Sarah clarified. "I was destined to fight with her over something. It just so happens that sometimes it would be over a dog." He gave her a piercing glare before turning to the two pair of pleading eyes still pinned to him.

"Where are these mongrels?" Jareth asked.

"Yes! We're getting dogs!" Faolan exclaimed, pumping his fists into the air.

"Did I say that?" Jareth asked his son.

"No," he mumbled, dropping his arms to his side, all hope and joy gone.

Nigella grabbed her father's hand and dragged him to the other side of the store. "Over here! They're this way."

When they finally arrived, Nigella released her father's hand and walked with Faolan over to the adoptable dogs.

"I liked this one," she said as she petted the grey, statuesque dog's head. "He's so pretty."

"Eh, this one is way better," Faolan said as he kneeled down to allow the tri-color dog to lick his fingers through the small fence. "He makes a funny howl when he's excited."

"That's called baying," a middle aged man said as he approached the group. "And I'm surprised he's making any sort of noise. He's been a shy one since we got him. Oh, sorry, I'm Thomas." He held out his hand which Sarah grabbed to shake. When he moved over to Jareth, his offered hand was blatantly ignored. Thomas realizing that he was in an awkward position and quickly retracted his arm. "So, uh, Michelle, over there, and I have been trying to get these guys and their buddies adopted today."

"They seem to have already bonded with these dogs," Sarah said as she watched Nigella and Faolan play with their respected playmates. She then turned to Thomas. "I'm guessing they've been here for a while."

Thomas gave a non-committal shrug. "No more than half an hour before you arrived."

"Yeah, so, this all sort of happened fast," Toby chimed in as he rubbed the back of his neck. "That's why I called you over here."

"The greyhound's name is Zeus. Very reserved, but that breed is known for that," Thomas explained. "He's a retired race dog, just wants to be lazy most of the time. The beagle is called Hank, and he's definitely a bit high strung. Still technically a puppy. We saved him from a hoarding situation uptown. However, the beagle looks like he's opening up to your son."

"Aww," Sarah pouted, looking at both animals. Without warning, she felt a tug on her arm as Jareth pulled her away from everyone. "Ah, was that necessary?" she asked as she moved to face him. She took a moment to notice Thomas off to the side with a quizzical yet worried look on his face. "And you can't just pull me like that in public here. Someone's going to call the cops on us."

"Never mind that frivolity," he hissed, releasing her arm. "Are you actually considering not only allowing them to have a _pet_ , but to bring back two? Are you wishing pure and utter chaos to descend upon us all? And no one has brought up the fact that these creatures have preposterous names."

"Life will always be chaotic," Sarah mused. "So why can't they have a dog? Look at them: they each have taken a fondness to one. And I don't know why you are so abhorrent to the idea of animals inside. You share a room with goblins _and_ chickens."

"Don't you dare turn this around on me," Jareth warned.

"I'm not turning anything around," Sarah stated. "I'm just pointing out facts. Facts are our friends."

"Daddy," Nigella said as she slowly approached them. She held out two sheets of paper her parents, but Sarah was the one who took them both. "These are the adoption papers. You have to complete them before we get the dogs."

Jareth released a low grumble as he pinched the bridge of his nose as Nigella ran back to her favorite dog.

"You keep saying that Faolan needs a reason to focus so he won't be so careless in his approach to, well, everything," Sarah smirked. "He has no interest in horses- might as well get him to train an excitable beagle."

"And Nigella?"

"She's fine," Sarah answered, rolling her eyes. "Of course, she picked a quiet, placid dog who wants to sleep all day." The raucous laughter of their children caught Jareth's attention, causing him to look over at the two of them playing with their potential dogs. Toby and Kendrick look on in amusement and odd fascination, respectively. Jareth mumbled underneath his breath before snatching the papers from Sarah.

"Something tells me that dogs are not allowed in our hotel room," he said as he looked over the forms. He looked up from the papers to see Sarah's face practically aglow, her smile going from ear to ear. "Oh, don't act like that."

"Eek! This is exciting," Sarah whispered.

"You were rational being a moment ago," Jareth scoffed. "What the hell happened?"

"You agreed, but I didn't want to get my hopes up," she stated. "Having a dog around is fun- you'll see." She then wrapped her arms around Jareth, giving him a large squeeze.

"These forms are anemic," Jareth groused as he ran his hands through her hair. "They don't require much effort or information."

"Yeah, uh, some shelters are easier to adopt from than others," Sarah muttered against his chest. "I'm guessing this place gets a lot of drop offs. They just want to find these guys homes as soon as possible. But about our hotel… we're supposed to stay in the city until New Years. We're not even supposed to go upstate again."

"Well, then," he said as he moved away from her. "Sounds as though we have a potential for an insightful test."

"Oh no," Sarah sighed as she saw him walk over to the children.

* * *

The blustering wind howled outside the hotel as everyone stayed inside, opting for warmth than looking at any tourist attractions. Kendrick sat on the couch and looked out unto the large windows, watching the snow blow pass.

Nigella nudged Kendrick after she sat down next to him. "Hey," she began softly. "Sorry for ruining your first trip here."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused by her insinuation. Yet, he continued to stare out the window.

"We're going to miss the fireworks here," Nigella explained. "Because of the dogs, you know. We have to go upstate. I'm pretty sure Dad was testing us- to see if we would give up being here for the dogs."

Kendrick merely shrugged before turning his head to look at her. "Your mother said there are fireworks up there also. Honestly, this place is so peculiar that I don't really care what we do."

"I guess you're right," she said with a nod. "Besides, I like our little place. This hotel seems sterile and cold. Plus, you get your own room again."

"That's all right," Kendrick whispered, looking down at his feet. "I'm not complaining."

Nigella leaned over to him. "Huh? What'd you say?"

"Hey, Nye," Faolan interrupted as he walked into the living room, holding a book. "You didn't finish your book on your weird dog. No one is going to believe that I did my reading and you didn't."

"I don't want to read a book that calls me a dummy," she said. "And he's not a weird dog."

"Stop acting offended," Faolan sighed as he handed her the book. "You know it's the only one the store had. Hurry up. We're picking them up later today."

"Fine," Nigella huffed, grabbing her book from him. She stood up from the sofa and started to leave the room. "I'll be done with it in an hour."

When she finally left, Faolan joined Kendrick on the couch.

"She'll never figure out that you like her if you keep talking at the floor," Faolan said with a smirk.

"Wh-what?" Kendrick sputtered. "I don't like her. Well, I mean I do. But I like everyone. I'm a genial person. She's no different."

"I'm guessing it's the centaur in you that's allowing you to lie," Faolan smirked. "And the fae is making those lies so obvious."

* * *

"Okay, Zeus," Nigella said as she stuck her fingers through crate, allowing the greyhound to lick her fingers. "Uncle is going to bring you up to where we live temporarily. Don't worry. You'll arrive before me, but I join you soon."

"I'm quite certain that he didn't understand any of what you said, darling," Jareth said as stood next to her.

"It doesn't matter," she said, scratching Zeus' head. "I'm only trying to reassure him."

"See you soon, Hank," Faolan said on the other side of the car, as he waved to his confused beagle. "Hey, why can't Hank and Zeus go on the train with us?"

"No matter how many times you ask, the answer will always be the same," Sarah said, closing the back passenger door. "Animals aren't allowed on the train."

"That's dumb," Faolan groused as he adjusted his gloves. "They have dumb rules here."

Sarah walked over to Toby and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you for driving two crates with dogs up for us."

"No problem," he said, giving her a quick hug back before he pulled away from her. "I'm probably going to run into some traffic going up. You'll probably beat me there."

"Make sure you deliver our dogs to us safely and promptly," Nigella emphatically said as she looked up at him with a stern look on her face.

Toby placed his hand across his heart as he gave her a bow. "On my honor," he swore as he stood up straight. "Your puppies will arrive safely to you in a few hours."

"Why can't we just transport there?" Nigella complained as she pouted.

"Because Faolan wants to ride the train back," Sarah answered.

"This is all your fault," Nigella accused as Faolan walked over to her.

"What? Why are you mad at me?" he asked. "We can use magic at any time. But riding the train- we can't do that all the time. C'mon, Nye, don't get so upset."

"Let's go," Jareth said, standing behind them with Kendrick by his side. "Being on that archaic contraption is barely worth standing around here."

"What do you mean?" Faolan asked. "The train has its own car that sells food!"

Jareth rolled his eyes before turning to Sarah. "He's allowing this world to be viewed as novel and exciting: this is all your fault."

Sarah smiled. "So many accusations being thrown around today. Just admit that it's not so bad here."

"I enjoy it here," Kendrick chimed in. "This land is quiet odd but in a pleasing way."

"Damn," Jareth said, shaking his head. "Not you too."

* * *

Kendrick approached Nigella who was sitting in the enclosed porch with Zeus.

"His dog is loud," he remarked as Faolan and Hank played catch near the fence line.

"The book about his dog said it's called baying," she answered. "I think it's a fun sound- as long as it's not near my ears."

"Oh, uh, yeah," he muttered. "I guess it can be an acquired taste."

"It's okay to not like it," Nigella snickered. "You don't have to be so accepting of things. You can be objectionable, you know? Sometimes, I think that's the standard position of my father- being intolerable." She laughed so loud that she let out a snort. Zeus sat up quickly and stuck his snout in her face, his eyes alert and studying her movements. "Everything's fine, you nervous dog."

"It's weird how well both animals have taken to you too," Kendrick noted.

"Why are you still standing?" she asked as she pointed to the chair next to her. "Sit down."

Kendrick sat down as instructed as he kept his eyes on Faolan and his dog still playing outside. "How long are they going to keep playing? I heard your mother say it will snow soon."

"I don't know," Nigella said, scratching Zeus' neck. "Neither one seems interested in stopping. Running around will be good for them. They'll both be tired when mealtime approaches- which will mean the dog will stop barking and Faolan won't be so chatty. It's a win for everyone really."

Kendrick stared at Zeus with morbid curiosity.

"Are you sure you don't want one?" she asked as she gave the dog a treat.

"No," Kendrick assuredly said. "I don't think my mother would care for one in the castle. She still gets upset if father brings mud in, even into the Centaur castle."

"Sounds like she would be upset a lot," Nigella chuckled.

"Heh, yeah," Kendrick mumbled as his hand combed through his hair. "She has her moments… frequently. I guess those wouldn't be called moments then, hm?" He looked over to Nigella who was smirking at him. "Is that somehow funny?"

"A little," she confessed as she sat back in her chair. "I just find it humorous- our parents' specific characteristics. Your mother is like father; she just seems more… sensitive. That probably explains why they bicker so much. It's easy to fight with yourself."

"I never thought you noticed those types of things," Kendrick remarked.

"Some people think I'm too aloof, that I'm a bit detached," she stated as she stared over at him. "I know what others say about me. But they're wrong; I notice all sorts of things."

Kendrick gulped as he wrung his hands.

"Nigella," Sarah said as she poked her head into the room. "Bring your brother and that hound inside. We'll be going to the Palace soon."

"I'll get him," Kendrick said, standing up quickly, walking to the porch door, and outside into the cold.

"Why's he so jumpy?" Sarah asked as she watched him run outside to Faolan.

Nigella shrugged as she grabbed Zeus' leash. "I don't know."


	32. Chapter 32

_The world will always welcome lovers_  
_As time goes by_

* * *

"Hello, birthday boy," Sarah crooned in Jareth's ear. His mouth curved into a smile as he slowly opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling.

"Why do you remember such trivial matters?" he said as he rolled over on his side to face her.

"Don't be Scrooge about this," she said as she sat up to leave their bed. After shrugging her robe on, Sarah tied belt around her waist before walking to the bathroom. "You only turn ten thousand once."

"Lies!" he snapped. Sarah's laughter could be heard on the other side of the door while Jareth forcefully pulled the comforter away from him.

"Bloody wench," he muttered as he struggled to put his trousers on before sitting back on the bed. "I'm not _that_ old."

A knock on the bedroom door finally pulled him from the bed. When he opened the door, he looked down to see his children standing in front of him.

"Lights of my life," Jareth chanted as he held his hands to his heart. He then dropped his arms to his side as he raised an apprehensive brow. "Why are you both up so early? And what the hell are you hiding behind you back?" he asked as he noticed Nigella's hands were out of sight.

The twins looked at each other as Nigella brought her arms around and held out the wrapped gift to her father.

"A present? For me?" Jareth asked, truly stunned. "And what's this for?"

"It's your birthday, silly," Nigella answered. Before Jareth could respond, his son interrupted.

"Mom told us," Faolan said with a sly smile that could almost rival his father's. Jareth turned to glare at the bathroom door, as though Sarah could sense his displeasure through the door.

"But you can't open it until later tonight," Nigella pointed out.

"It's a surprise," Faolan added.

"What sort of surprise?" Jareth asked, staring at the small box in curiosity.

"That's not a valid question," Nigella snickered. "It wouldn't be a surprise if we told you what it was. Remember: no peeking until tonight. We have to go feed Zeus and Hank now."

Looking over his children's heads, Jareth sneered as he saw the greyhound and beagle resting comfortably on the couches in the sitting room. "You mean those two beasts which you allowed to recline on my furniture?"

"Yep," Faolan said with such assuredness. "Those are the ones."

Faolan stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Jareth's torso, giving him a quick hug as Nigella followed suit.

"No cheating. No peaking," Faolan warned as the twins turned to walk away.

Jareth let out a small chuckle while he closed the door, still considering the peculiar gift in his hand. When he noticed that Sarah had walked back into the room, he held out the box to her.

"Do you have any knowledge of this?" he questioned, not hiding his accusatory tone well.

"What? No," Sarah scoffed, towel drying her hair. "What is that?"

"A _birthday_ present," Jareth stated as he slowly stalked toward her.

"That's weird. From whom?" she said, poorly hiding her guilt.

"The brownies that work in the library," he quipped, stopping in front of her.

"That's really odd because those brownies do not like you," Sarah teased.

"Sarah."

"Oh, come on," she sighed as her shoulders sagged. "They wanted to know. You can't expect to go your whole life with children and not expect that this would happen."

Jareth took a step back from her before turning around and placing the gift on her vanity. "You shouldn't have encouraged them. Celebrating such things is trivial and a waste of time."

"But," Sarah countered softly. "It's not to them. They wanted to _do_ something for you."

"I've lived too long for anyone to want to commemorate the day I was born," he rationalized.

"Faolan and Nigella haven't known you for all these years," she snapped. "They aren't aware about whatever issues you have with this day. They simply love you and want to share this day with you."

"Damn," Jareth whispered, fiddling with the ribbon on his gift. "I assume you're right."

"No need to assume. I am right." Sarah walked toward the closet but was blocked by Jareth standing in front of the door. "Where you are standing is not a great place to be."

He looked down at the sash tied around her waist. "And what sort of gift do you have?" he purred as attempted to undue the knot. "Anything special for me?"

"Possibly," she hummed back. "But you have to wait until later tonight."

"Bloody hell," Jareth complained. "Are you colluding with our children to concoct some bizarre exercise to teach me patience?" Sarah chuckled as she gently pushed him aside to get to the closet.

"No, but that's not a bad idea," Sarah mused. She leaned over to caress the side of his face before placing a kiss on his cheek. "I have to go visit some elves today. I'll be back before dusk."

"Congratulations, Precious," he grumbled before moving his hand off his face to place a small kiss on her palm. "You have found a way to make what should be a boring day an exasperating one."

"Pretending to be put upon is not a good look on you," she said. "You should try another tactic." As she moved to the closet door, Sarah felt his arm wrap around her waist before feeling her body fall to the ground. "Shit! Jareth!"

He pressed his body against hers before resting his forearms on either side of her.

"I'm not pretending to be anything," he said, undoing her sash. "And learning patience sounds tedious and uninteresting." Jareth lowered his head to capture her exposed nipple in his mouth.

"Ah!" Sarah cried out. "We can't do this. I have an appointment." Jareth moved up to press his lips against hers. He nipped her bottom lip before pushing away from her.

"You win this battle," he groused. Rising to his feet, he held out his hand to his wife to pull her up. "But do not think that I will let this go."

"No pouting," she said before placing a kiss on his cheek. "You made me late yesterday. I can't do that two days in a row." She smiled as his frown seemed to only deepen. "I won't forget, and you won't let me."

* * *

Lochlan sat back in his chair as he carefully considered the paper in his hand. A knock on the door brought him out of his trance when he noticed the door to his office opening.

"You've been in here for a while," Tali said as her head peaked in. She noticed the paper in his hands. "Are you actually doing work?"

"I am capable of such things," he answered with no traces of humor in his voice.

Tali looked off to the side before looking back at him, still reading the paper in his hand. "I'll just leave you to it."

"No!" Lochlan barked out as though released from a trance. He cleared his throat and placed his papers on his desk. "No, come in." He rose from his chair to greet his wife with a kiss on the lips. "I have missed you."

"What had you in such a daze?" she asked while being led into the room by the hand.

Lochlan sighed as he walked back to his desk. "A letter from the Seelie Court, signed by all the rulers, arrived for me last night." He grabbed the missive and handed it to her. "Reminds me of the stories my Uncle would talk about."

Tali quickly noted the signatures of Sarah, Jareth, and every other ruler of the Court at the bottom of the page before she began reading the contents.

"Must be an extremely important issue for them to send you information like this," Tali mumbled as she began reading.

"I believe a letter sent like this is what Sarah's brother likes to call 'shit hitting the fan', Lochlan stated as he leaned against his desk. She gave him a small smile before her lips turned into a frown.

"This issue with the trolls isn't getting any better," Tali remarked as she handed the paper back to him. "What does this mean? War?" She inhaled deeply before clasping hands together. "Again?"

"War is a harsh word for what this might potentially spiral into," he explained.

"Whatever it is, people are going to get hurt or killed," Tali stated. "And how could they be in the process of revolt? I thought they were dim."

"Don't underestimate them all; some are severely smarter than they look," Lochlan said, walking over to his small library of books. He quickly found what he was searching for, turned to the intended page, and handed it to his wife.

"I thought your Uncle didn't keep records," she mused.

"Not many, but those accounts he wrote down were a personal affront to him," he stated. "Nothing hits a prideful fae more than failing to suppress a rebellion against you."

"So they rebelled against this Court, and are now doing the same with the Seelies," Tali stated. "Are they just going to go back and forth?"

"That's doubtful," Lochlan said. "I'm sure they would want to be a rogue kingdom. And since some faes and humans in the area have gone missing, I'm sure they are back to their old habits."

Tali's face contorted into a look of disgust. "Of eating us?"

"Well, humans were their favorite."

"Is that the truth or a joke?" she asked.

"Why can't it be both?" At the sight of her glare, Lochlan tried to make amends. "There's no need to worry. I've already sent a few hunting parties to be stationed at the Seelie border. We'll find a way to contain this."

* * *

Sarah, along with the twins, was ushered through the castle in the Elf Queendom by four castle guards.

"There is no real reason for all of you to escort us," Sarah muttered.

"Only the best for our Queen," an elf guard closest to her responded.

"It's like we're going on a secret mission," Faolan whispered. "Like those spy movies that we watch with Uncle Toby."

"Considering you are not stealing gold from a safe," Sarah said. "This is nothing like those movies."

"Yeah, but dad doesn't know what we're doing or why we're here," he countered.

"Sarah!" boomed the animated voice at the end of the hall.

"Gwen!" Sarah yelled back as she pushed past the two guards to greet her friend.

"Such informalities in front of others," Queen Gwendoline teased, opening her arms to Sarah.

"Oh whatever," she scoffed as she embraced the Queen of the Elves.

"And you two," Gwendoline said, taking a step back to regard the twins. "How long has it been since I've seen you two? And I hear you both have personal _pets_?"

"It's been eight months," Nigella answered.

"And Hank and Zeus are at home," Faolan grumbled. "Mom said we couldn't bring them here."

"A guest doesn't bring animals to someone else's home," Sarah sighed. "Plus, Jareth would find that odd."

"Ah! Of course, "the Queen of the Elves exclaimed as she clapped her hands together. "The reason you're here. Follow me."

* * *

Jareth stared up at the ceiling as he lamented the number of cobwebs he found. It was one thing to allow his throne room to be in disarray due to all the goblins, yet he really shouldn't allow his meeting room to be the same.

_How long have they been up there_? he wondered as he squinted at one of the corners of the ceiling.

Leaning further back in his chair, he was able to tune out the goings-on around him until he was abruptly interrupted.

"Sire," Avitus' voice pierced through his musings.

"What?" Jareth asked, irritated that he was interrupted.

"Governor Derry wished to ask you a question," Avitus said as he pointed with his pen to the rotund human sitting next to his advisor.

Jareth was barely able to hold back his look of utter annoyance. The quarterly meeting of his governors seemed to always irritate him. Dealing with them all together in one room seemed to bring out the worst in everyone, most likely because the governors never dealt with each other outside of these meetings.

"What's the matter now, Derry?" Jareth asked as he stared at the Governor of the Northeastern Province straight in the eye.

"Out of the past fifteen years, the Northwestern province has hosted the Beltane festival eleven times," Derry said. "It doesn't seem quite fair."

"I'm not interested in fairness," Jareth sneered. "I'm interested in ensuring that whoever hosts the festival doesn't run out of food, ale, and space to hold the many guests."

Derry had the good sense to look ashamed. He gazed down at his hands that were placed on the table as he struggled to say the right words. "Yes, Sire. That was an unfortunate accident. But I and my province have learned for these mistakes, and we will strive to improve the next time."

"I'm not interested in babysitting you," he said as he stood up from his chair and walked toward the door. "If I feel like being generous, maybe you'll have another go at it one day."

Avitus soon realized that Jareth was planning to leave even though the meeting wasn't actually finished yet. Before he could stop him, Jareth opened the door and walked out.

"I'll send you the notes on this meeting, Sire," Avitus called out. He looked over at the four governors left sitting at the table with him. "Well, seems like we _are_ done here."

* * *

Jareth strolled down the hallway, eager to leave the confines of that room. Being a responsible leader was tiring. _No wonder why Lochlan rarely did it_ , he thought to himself. Opening one of the doors to the library, he smiled at the sight before him.

"Didn't expect you here today," Jareth said as he approached the table stacked with books. "Does your sister know you're here?"

"Ugh, no, and please don't tell her," Toby mumbled, furiously scribbling line into his notepad, not looking up at Jareth. A hefty book was opened next to him. "I'd love to sit and chat, but I'm two weeks behind my deadline. Pretty sure my publisher is going to kill me if I don't have this all submitted by midnight. And I'm sure she would kill me. Otherwise, I have no idea why she wears stilettos that look like that."

"I thought you previously said you were done coming here," he said as he pulled out a chair and sat across from Toby. "You looked almost as exhausted then as you do now. I sensed you being here when I arrived at the castle this morning. How long have you been sitting here?"

"I woke up at three this morning and got here at four," Toby answered. "Hey, I'm sure it's in one of these books." He gestured to the tomes on the desk. "But where is the book that talks about when humans first came to the Goblin Kingdom?" Without looking, Jareth grabbed a medium sized leather-bound book and handed it over to him.

"Eh, thanks," Toby said, grabbing the book. "I can't really dog ear these things, can I?"

"I'll have your neck if you did that," he stated. "What exactly are you having trouble with?"

"Nice try," Toby smirked. "But I already told you that you can't read it until I'm finished. Oh, by the way." He reached over into his bag and pulled out a white bubbled envelope. "Sarah told me it was your birthday."

"Did she?" Jareth grumbled, briefly covering his eyes with a gloved hand. "Is she unable to keep anything to herself?"

"She told me you'd be upset about that," he chuckled, handing the package over to the Goblin King. "But if it makes you feel better, she told me a long time ago when your birthday was. I just never had a good enough gift to give you that would offset the hissy fit you would throw."

"This isn't a _hissy fit_ ," Jareth objected.

"Whatever," Toby sighed as he went back to writing. "Just open it."

Grumbling under his breath, Jareth summoned a letter opener and forcefully yet carefully opened the envelope before pulling out the contents. He inhaled sharply as he leaned back in his chair while holding the paper in his hand.

Toby looked up when he noticed Jareth wasn't saying anything. "Um, yeah, I knew there was no point in trying to get you a fancy gift, but I thought you would appreciate that."

A smile crept across Jareth's lips as he looked down at the photograph that Toby presented to him. Posing in front of the house in upstate New York, Sarah with their children and their dogs, and Kendrick standing alongside Jareth wearing his Aboveground clothing. Everyone was smiling at the camera except Jareth who was clearly rolling his eyes.

"I forgot you demanded that we pose for that ridiculous camera," Jareth said, still staring at the photo.

"See? I told you I wasn't doing it just to torture you," he said. "And I thought you would like the photo of you rolling your eyes rather than having them completely closed. And it's your fault anyway: you'd only let me take two pictures."

"Thank you," Jareth said thoughtfully, looking back up at Toby.

Toby merely shrugged. "Eh, no problem. You don't seem like someone who cares for gifts, but I felt like I had to get you something. You've helped me out a lot, you know, through the years and stuff."

Jareth rose from the chair, clutching the framed picture in his hand.

"Oh, um, I promise that I won't be here much longer," Toby stated. "I think."

"You are free to stay here as long as you want," Jareth said before turning to walk away. "I've always told you that."

* * *

"OWW!" Faolan yelled as he quickly retreated from the hot oven.

Sarah and Nigella turned around to see why he was yelling.

"You're supposed to wear oven mittens," Nigella chided. She walked over to her brother and grabbed his hands. A bright red streak stretched across the palm of his hands. "It could have been worse."

Sarah walked over to her son while Nigella moved away to grabbed the mitts and pulled the cake from the oven.

"I did warn you," she told him, taking his hands into hers.

"Yeah, I know," Faolan grumbled before hissing in pain as his mother healed his burns.

"Do we get to put frosting on the cake now?" Nigella asked as she slowly placed the cake on the counter.

"It has to cool first," Sarah said. "Otherwise, it will just melt off."

"That's going to take so long," Faolan complained. "Why can't we just use magic to make the cake?"

"Daddy says sometimes it's better to do things with your hands and not magic," Nigella answered.

"No complaining," Sarah said. "This was your idea, Faolan."

"Yeah, but I didn't know it was going to be such a slow process," he muttered as he sat on the kitchen floor.

"Don't sit- ugh, oh, whatever," Sarah said.

"Hey," Nigella said as she pointed to the large table across the kitchen. "Someone set out food for us."

"Come on," Sarah said to Faolan. "Eat something. Maybe some foods will sooth your weary bones."

* * *

Kalin rolled over in bed and pulled the duvet above her head.

"Two weeks. Two weeks, and I still feel so wretched," she moaned with a cough. "Why do I feel so horrible?"

The fae standing next to the bed only heard her complaining as barely audible muffling. "Um, could you repeat that again, ma'am? I missed that."

Sitting up quickly, Kalin turned to her assistant, barely able to form a scowl. "Never mind."

"I realize the king can be overbearing, but he might be right this time: maybe you should meet with the healer," the assistant said.

Kalin kept quiet, not replying to her assistant. Her shoulders shrugged as she considered her hands, front and back. Taking a deep breath, she decided to take some time to be still with her thoughts. As awkward a position as the assistant was in, she did her best to stand still as the Queen went through her meditative stance.

"I know what this is," Kalin said as she stood up from bed, breaking the nearly hour long silence. "I just didn't want to deal with the implications. I'm going to the healer now." She grabbed her robe and draped it over her shoulders. "Contact my husband and son. Tell them where I will be."

* * *

The workers in the library began lighting candles around the hall as the light of day began to dim. Toby rubbed his eyes as he gathered his notes to place into his bag.

"Are you finished with these books?" a voice asked him.

"Huh? What?" Toby mumbled before looking up. A female with peculiar light blue yet nearly grey skin and long curly, bright white hair with bright blue eyes stared back at him with a small smile.

"I asked if you are done reading these. You've been here all day," she remarked.

"Uh," Toby muttered as his mind went blank. "Um, yeah. I've been here."

"Yes, I know," she scoffed. "I wasn't asking about that. I was asking about your books. If you do not need them, I should put them away."

"But I can do that," he muttered, briefly looking down at his mess of books before turning his attention back to her.

She gave him a slight smirked. "It's my job."

"Can I help you then?" Toby slowly asked as though he didn't know what he was saying.

"A distinguished guest of the king shouldn't be in the habit of helping someone do their job," she said with a look of confusion on her face.

Toby held out his hand toward her. "My name is Toby."

"I know who you are, Master Toby," she smiled. "Most of us in the castle know."

"But your name?" he asked. "I don't know your name."

"That's not important-"

"It is to me," Toby simply stated.

"Caitriona," she replied, finally taking a hold of his offered hand.

Toby smiled. "That's a lovely name for a lovely – uh- elf?"

"You guessed correctly," she said with a nod as she released his hand. One of her hands went to the side of her head, gently patting her voluminous tresses. "I guess all this hair hides my ears."

"You have nice ears," Toby mumbled as he stared up at her.

"But you can't see them," Caitriona said, a little confusion in her voice.

Toby shook his head to gather his bearings. "I, uh, assume they're nice," he said, trying to recover. "Wow- that sounded so dumb."

"It sounds... very human," she said with a smile. Caitriona grabbed one of the larger tomes. "Feel free to say goodbye before you leave."

* * *

"Is this necessary?" Jareth muttered as he struggled to walk with Sarah covering his eyes with her hands. "Although, I shouldn't complain too much; you do feel lovely pressed against my back."

"Stop talking and keep moving," Sarah chastised.

A few minutes ago, Jareth was languishing in his office, pretending to actually read the notes of the day's earlier meeting with his governors. However, Sarah burst into his study and whisked him back to the palace, manually blocking his eyes the entire time.

"I knew one day you would turn on me," he said accusatorily. "To think, you would do it here. Our children, Sarah. Have you thought of our children?"

"Stop talking," she commanded again, trying not to laugh, as she stopped them both as they approached the dining hall doors.

"I know you said to stop talking, but why did we stop?" Jareth asked.

Sarah sighed as she removed her hands from his eyes. "You are so exhausting."

"You brought me to the dining hall," he remarked. "I was quite capable of coming here on my own." Despite his outward aloofness, he felt anxiety rise within him as he considered all the outrageous possibilities that his wife could have planned behind that door.

"Why must you always try to ruin surprises?" Sarah asked with her hand on the door handle.

"A surprise?" Jareth countered. Then, Sarah opened the double doors wide before walking in, leaving him by the threshold. He stood, stunned, as he noticed the vast metallic "Happy Birthday" sign that hung from wall to wall.

"Surprise!" Faolan and Nigella yelled, standing on the opposite end of the dining table as they raised their arms in the air in excitement.

"What the hell?" he muttered, not moving from his position by the door.

"I guess that's a reasonable response," Sarah said as she grabbed his hand and led him over to their children. Confusion marred his face as he walked into the hall. Nigella and Faolan beamed, clearly excited due to the fact that they appeared to be jumping out of their skin as they rocked back and forth on their heels. When he finally reached them, he looked at the odd occurrence on the table.

"Is someone going to explain why this pastry is on fire?" Jareth questioned.

"It's a cake! A birthday cake!" Faolan exclaimed. "Nye and I made you a cake, and we lit it on fire."

"Mom said you put candles on birthday cakes," Nigella stated with a sigh due to her brother's hyperbolic words.

"I used to put the number of candles on the cake as the person's age," Sarah admitted. "But that would be way too many candles for you. We didn't want to burn the palace down."

"Aren't you hilarious," Jareth groused as he removed his gloves from his hands, placing them on the table.

Nigella walked up to him and tugged on his shirt. "Tradition states you have to make a wish and then blow out the candles." He took a step back to consider the chocolate covered cake. Four separate flickering candles were set in the cake, and they consisted of four wax numbers: two, two, four, and eight.

"Mom said you'd love it if your age was on the cake," Faolan said with glee.

"Tattletale," Sarah hissed. Jareth released a small chuckle before holding in his breath and then blowing out the candles.

"Did you make a wish?" Nigella asked, expectantly.

"Oh, darling, you know you're not supposed to say your wishes out loud," Jareth gently chastising her. "And to think you did this for me."

"We wanted to do something for your birthday," his daughter said.

"Yeah," Faolan added. "And if you knew our plan, you wouldn't let us do it."

Sarah walked over to kiss Jareth's neck. "See? Your unique personality causes them duplicitous. Now, let's see if this cake is any good."

* * *

Kendrick rushed into the healer's quarters to see his parents talking to a fae and an elf.

"Mother," he said more as a question than statement. He stood by the door as he watched the healer and her assistant walk away from his mother who was lying in a bed. "Are you… okay?"

"Oh, you made it, son," Taggert said, walking toward him. When he stood in front of his son, he knelt in front of him. "Seems I got here before you."

"What's going on?" Kendrick questioned, nervousness heightening the pitch of his voice.

Taggert sighed, placing his hands on his progeny's shoulder. "Well, son-"

"You are so dramatic!" Kalin sighed from the corner of the room. "Come here, Kendrick. Your father is being needlessly theatrical."

With his father's hand on his back guiding him, Kendrick shuffled his feet as he walked over to his mother. Kalin opened her arms to her son and held him close.

"We didn't intend to scare you, dear," she muttered against his hair. "I'm simply not thinking clearly- that's all."

"Why are you here - with the healer?" Kendrick asked.

Kalin looked down at the floor before looking up to Taggert. She said nothing as he approached his son's side.

"Yes, well, about that," Taggert said. "Um-"

"I'm pregnant," Kalin blurted out, unable to stand Taggert's procrastination. "So, you're going to have a sibling."

"I-what?" Kendrick asked, confused, pulling away from his mother's grasp. His brows furrowed as he looked up at his father before turning to his mother. He pointed to Kalin's abdomen. "You- You're going to have another child?" He then pointed to himself. "I'm going to be a brother?"

Kalin laughed as she reached out to grab the back of her son's head to place a kiss on his forehead. "You're going to be a big brother!" she exclaimed as she clutched his shoulders for a moment to give him a shake. Kendrick stood, stunned, while he considered the implication of this news. In an instant, a scene of Nigella and Faolan fighting flashed through his mind. "Oh, no. Is he going to be like Faolan?"

Taggert laughed. "You're jumping to some fast conclusions there. We don't even know if we're having another son."Kendrick's face fell as his eyes filled with dread.

"Please, don't have a child like Faolan. I don't think I can take it."

* * *

Faolan reached across to table to cut into the three layered cake.

"You know, that's going to be your third slice," Sarah said as she cut into her own piece.

Faolan paused while the knife he was holding hovered over the cake. "But- cake is meant to be eaten." Jareth chuckled before sipping from his glass of wine.

"This cake was meant for you father," Sarah chided. "So, ask him if he wants anymore before you continue to eat more than your fair share."

Disgruntled, Faolan sat back in his chair with the knife still in his hand. He pouted as he looked at the table top before turning his attention to his father who was seated directly across from him.

"Yes, child of mine?" Jareth asked with a smirk.

"Can I have more cake?" he mumbled.

"It's so difficult to hear you over that bag of marbles in your mouth. What was that again?" Jareth asked.

Faolan's pout turned into a lopsided grin before he released a huff as he sat up straight in his chair. "May I have more cake, please?"

Jareth tapped the tines of his fork on his plate, pretending to consider his son's plea. Faolan's eyes had widened in disbelief due to how long this process was drawn out.

"If you want more, you can have some more," he stated with a shrug.

A gasp came from Faolan as he jumped up to cut himself another piece.

"Do you like the cake, Daddy?" Nigella asked as she looked over at his half eaten portion.

"Of course, my darling," he answered while grabbing her hand and placing a kiss on the back of her hand. "You and your brother made me such a special gift; it's something that should be savored." Nigella, Jareth, and Sarah both turned to look at Faolan who was shoveling cake in his mouth. The young fae looked up to see everyone staring at him.

"What?" he struggled to say with his mouth full of food. "Dad said I can have it!"

"Oh, my sweet son," Sarah whispered to herself, shaking her head.

"I have a question," Nigella said.

"Is it about cake?" Sarah muttered as she continued to stare at Faolan and his poor table manners.

"No," Nigella grumbled as she gave a quick look of disgust to her twin. "It's about the Seelie Court history." Sarah and Jareth both turned their full attention to their daughter.

"Spending time in the library, I see," Jareth deduced.

"All written records stop shortly after mother was born," Nigella pointed out. "Shouldn't it be kept up to date?"

Sarah cleared her throat, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a cloth napkin. "I don't know why it wasn't maintained, however I can take some guesses." The two parents shot each other a quick glance. "If it makes you feel any better, there are several historiographers gathering information from that time until now. The problem will be rectified. Don't worry yourself."

"But your parents' courtship was briefly mentioned in the records," Nigella said to her mother. "Will you and daddy's be as well?"

Sarah's face contorted as she considered her daughter's question. She never considered the possibilities. A series of flashes from her past came to memory before she lowered her head.

_Oh- that is so very complicated_ , she thought as she pictured her younger self and Jareth on the hill, gazing at the expanse of the Labyrinth.

"Shit," Sarah muttered as she massaged her forehead. A low chuckle that soon turned into a hearty laugh brought her attention to Jareth who was clearly amused at the situation. "It's not funny."

A wide grin spread across his face as he took a bite of his cake. "It's not _funny_ ," he concurred. "It's downright absurd."

"Which part?" Nigella asked, confused by what could be so humorous. "Your courtship or whether it will be in the public record?"

His daughter's question brought back the raucous laughter. "All of it!"

Sarah threw her napkin at Jareth's face, briefly stuttering his joy. "It's not that funny," she repeated with a frown that was poorly covering up a smile.

"Why is a courtship so funny?" Faolan asked.

"Because there wasn't one," Sarah responded before taking a long drink of her wine. "At least, not one that a normal person would consider a courtship." Both the twins furrowed their brows, not understand what they were just told.

"But you have to have a courtship," Nigella emphatically said, looking up at her father and then to Sarah. "It's not like daddy dragged you to his castle, like a captive."

Against her better judgment, Sarah reflexively spit out her wine, nearly choking on the liquid. Jareth lept from his seat and went to her side as he knelt beside her, placing a hand on her back.

"That was quite the reaction," he said as he rubbed her back.

"I didn't expect them to even think about that now," Sarah murmured in between a volley of coughs.

"Why are you guys whispering?" Faolan blurted out.

"Faolan!" Nigella hissed.

"No. Everything is fine," Sarah said, waving off any concern. Jareth returned to his chair, taking a gulp of his wine.

"What could be so bad?" Faolan shrugged. "It has to be a happy story, right?"

"And what makes you say that?" Sarah asked.

"Because… because you love each other," he said quietly. "Love always comes from happy things."

"Love is complicated, son," Jareth said as he cut into his slice of cake.

"When did you know you fell in love with mom?" Nigella asked.

Jareth plopped the cake in this mouth and chewed thoroughly as he sat back in his chair. Sarah rolled her eyes at his spectacle before turning her attention to her own plate of food.

"When did I fall in love with Sarah?" Jareth mused. "She told me to go to hell; it was that moment that I knew she was mine."

Dropping her fork on the plate, Sarah glared daggers at her husband.

"I didn't tell you to go to hell," she refuted.

"Meaningless semantics," Jareth shrugged.

"You told dad to go to hell?" Faolan chuckled.

"Is that really a surprised?" Nigella countered, raising an eyebrow.

Jareth turned to his daughter. "What do you mean by that?"

"You're a complicated person, Daddy," Nigella responded with a small smile.

"Everyone knows this," Faolan added.

Feigning shock, he dropped his hands on the table. "Et tu, my son."

"Okay, stop talking!" Sarah shouted. "This is getting out of hand."

"Why did you tell him to go to hell?" Faolan asked.

Sarah rubbed her temples, trying to calm herself down. "I didn't say that."

"So what _did_ you say?" Nigella asked.

Due to the impact that the last war had on the two Courts of the Underground, Sarah made the difficult decision to tell them what occurred in the Underground prior to their births. However, both Sarah and Jareth purposefully negated their long storied history before she returned to the Underground. The last time the twins asked were when they were roughly four years old, too young to understand such things, in Sarah's mind.

With a light chuckle, Jareth leaned back in his chair. "The decision is yours to make. Always has been."

Sarah looked at her son and then to her daughter. "It's- it's a long story."

"That's all right," Faolan said with his mouth full. "We have a lot of cake let."

* * *

Caitriona cautiously descended the wooden ladder after she put away the final book for the night.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, nearly bumping into the human.

"Sorry. So sorry," Toby said contritely. "I never meant to freak you out."

"I thought you left a while ago," the elf said.

"Well, I did," he said, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets. "Had some food. Typed some things up. But then I came back."

Caitriona tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Did you need another book? I put all your references back. Um- if you give me a moment, I could find-"

"No, no," Toby said, waving his hands. "Uh, okay, so, I didn't think this through- at all."

"So," she said slowly. "You don't need any more books?"

Toby grabbed the back of his neck. "I can't believe how bad I am at this." He held out his hand toward her. "I'm Toby- Toby Williams."

"Yes," Caitriona said with a small laugh. "You introduced yourself earlier."

"True, but I assumed it would be easier if I reintroduced myself," he stated.

"Okay," she said as she took a hold of his hand. "My name is Caitriona."

"And last name?"

Caitriona shook her head before releasing his hand. "That's another human thing."

"I guess it is," Toby agreed. A long and uncomfortable silence stretched between them as they both stood still, staring at each other.

"Did you need anything else?" she asked.

"Yes," Toby blurted out. "Dinner." Her brows furrowed as she considered his words.

"But you said that you already ate."

"No, I meant dinner at a later time, but not too late-"

"With you?" she clarified as she pointed to him.

"Yes!" His enthusiasm caused her to jump back. "Sorry. Yes," he answered in a more docile tone.

"Well, I do like food," Caitriona muttered.

Toby's face lit up. "Great. I have to go, but I'll be back tomorrow before dusk. And I will find a place to take you for food! This will be different- never eaten in the Goblin city before."

"All right," she said, holding in her laughter. "Food, tomorrow. I'll see you then."

* * *

"That was not nice, Daddy," Nigella chastised. "Having a boulder chase Mom was not okay."

"Or dropping her down that hole," Faolan added.

"Or sending her to the bog of stench," Nigella said.

"Or causing her to forget so she would run out of time."

"Or allowing Humongous to attack her and her friends."

"Or sending the goblins after her."

"Yeah, including using cannons. That was rude."

"All right!" Jareth bellowed.

The twins went quit while Sarah's muffled snickering filled the dining hall.

"It's not that funny," he murmured.

"Taking everything as a whole," Nigella interjected. "It's quite humorous."

"Why do they so easily turn against me?" Jareth bemoaned. Sarah rose from her chair before placing a quick kiss on Jareth's lips.

"I have a few items to take care of in my office," she said, giving a pointed look to her children. "Don't be too harsh on him. Without me, he lacked social graces."

Jareth opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it. The self-satisfying grin of his son beamed back at him as Faolan chewed on his dessert.

Nigella reached over and patted her father's hand. "It must have been difficult to see mom go, not knowing if she'd ever come back."

Jareth leaned back as he stared at his daughter to consider her thoughtful words.

"However," she smirked. "You must have run out of ideas."

"Ha!" Faolan barked.

"May we move on to something else?" Jareth asked before he finished his glass of wine.

"Yeah, so," his son interjected. "What were you trying to accomplish by throwing Mom down a hole?"

"She wasn't thrown!"

* * *

"My apologies, Cormac," Sarah said. "I know being gone all day was taxing on you."

"No need for such words, Your Majesty," he said.

She attached her seal to one of the papers before handing it to Cormac. "I can't believe Lochlan responded to us so quickly."

"Well, I'm guessing your letter captured his attention," he said, gathering his papers before he stood. "I'll return shortly for the rest of these."

Sarah sat down in her quiet office- an office that was quiet for only a few seconds after Cormac left.

"Have you forgotten to give me my present?" Jareth said as he appeared in her office, watching Sarah shuffle papers on her desk.

"Oh, so now you want to participate in birthday rituals," she said as she placed a stack of papers in the desk drawer. "Did you finally see what the children got you?"

"Cruel children," he sneered. "Giving me a box with nothing inside, just so I would worry about it all day."

Sarah smirked. "I thought it was a nice sleight of hand." She grabbed a book off the desk and walked over to the shelf to put it away. "It allowed you to be truly surprised by your real gift, especially since it's difficult to catch you off guard." The spine of a different book caught her attention. "Oh, Cormac was looking for this." She grabbed the book off the shelf and spun around. "Dammit!" Sarah hissed, running into Jareth's chest. She looked up to glare at him. "Are you ever going to stop doing that?"

"No," he said as he snatched the book from her and tossed it on the desk. "Now, about my gifts…" His mouth latched onto her neck as his hands furiously roamed over her body, pushing her against the shelves.

Placing her arms around his neck, Sarah sighed as she briefly reveled in the carnal pleasure he was bestowing on her.

"We should move this elsewhere," she suggested. She grabbed the back of his head to pull him back from her neck in order to kiss him thoroughly.

"Ah," he said with a guttural growl as she scrapped her teeth along his chin. "Are you sure about that?" He briefly looked around the otherwise vacant room. "It's been a while since we-"

"No," Sarah firmly interrupted with a wave of her hand. One moment they were in her office- the next, they were in their bed chambers. "We don't want Cormac walking in on us."

Jareth raised one eyebrow and gave her a smirk. "Don't we?"

"Shut up," she laughed.

"Where are you going?" he demanded as she walked toward the closet.

"Putting on something… nicer," Sarah explained. She halted her steps when he appeared in front of her. "This seems familiar."

"I don't give a shit about your gowns," Jareth stated as he bent down and tossed her on his shoulder.

"You know I hate this," she squirmed as he ignored her complaints. Unceremoniously, he tossed her onto the bed. "So impertinent."

Jareth kissed her neck before trailing his attention down to her cleavage. Sarah shivered, not just due to his ministrations, but because he caused all her clothes to disappear. She down to see that all his clothing was missing as well.

"I could have done that," Sarah sighed as she felt his tongue brush across her nipple before latching onto the sensitive bud. With one hand, she reached down to grab a hold of his engorged cock, causing Jareth to groan out his approval when her hand slowly moved up his shaft. He reluctantly pushed her hand away as he left a trail of open mouth kisses down her body. Sarah tensed as his attentions moved to her inner thigh as his hands pushed legs open.

He briefly rested his head on her thigh while his fingers leisurely moved up and down her slit. "I adore you," Jareth whispered. Her words were stolen from her when she felt his lips captured her clit.

"Uh, god," she moaned, her hands latching on to the back of his hair as she ground her body against his face. Feeling the primal tug against his hair, he released a low growl as he continued his carnal ministrations upon his wife. Sarah could only gasp as his mouth attacked her mercilessly. Clawing at the bed, she threw her head back as pleasure rolled through her, an all-consuming climax that left her reeling as she felt her legs pinned to the bed.

Sarah opened her eyes to see Jareth's tense features staring down at her. She smiled at his intense expression before pulling him down to her.

"Hello," Sarah said in a low husky voice. Jareth smirked as he grabbed her knees and pulled them as he climbed between her thighs. Leaning over to give her one bruising kiss on her lips, he thrust deep inside her, causing them both to release a satisfying moan that filled their chambers. His cock filled her, stretched her wide. She whispered his name as her hands clung to him. He dragged her legs up so they wrapped around his hips. Then he pulled out and thrust in again, deeper still. His hips hammered against her as their bodies, slick with sweat, slid against one another with each punishing stroke. He rocked against her, grinding his pelvis against hers. Her channel tightened and rippled around him as her core convulsed with her release. Jareth's body hardened as his own orgasm overcame him. He thrust into her three more times before collapsing on top of her, barely bracing his weight with his arms.

After a few moments, as their orgasm ebbed and the vibrations softened to sweet pulses, he withdrew from her body, and lowered himself to the bed beside her. He drew her into his embrace and placed a light, nearly chaste, kiss on her forehead. Several minutes passed without either one speaking- content to simply be.

""You always give me the finest gifts, Sarah," Jareth said, breaking the silence.

"Oh, please," she muttered while rolling her eyes. A wicked grin spread across his face as Sarah quickly found herself face down as Jareth pinned her to the mattress. She chuckled as she felt his teeth nip her back. He positioned his arm underneath her torso, pulling her lower body upwards. With one steady, slow thrust, Jareth entered pussy from behind as his nipping continued up to her shoulders.

"Such contempt," he whispered as he began to pump his hips harder. "On my special day."

Sarah's breath quickened as she moved to match his rhythm, pushing her ass back against him. Her attempts were overpowered when Jareth pushed her body down, wrapping both arms around her, pinning her down as he moved harder and faster into her.

Sarah's groans soon turned into a scream as she felt Jareth's teeth bite into her shoulder while she clenched tightly around his cock, another orgasm hitting her again.

"Mine," Jareth hissed into her ear as he drove into faster and faster until he suddenly tensed and released guttural groan. He kissed her back tenderly as he continued to keep Sarah restrained.

"Are you going to let me go?" she wondered aloud as she squirmed a bit beneath his hold.

Jareth nuzzled her neck as his hold around her tightened.

"Never."


End file.
